Video encoding device and video decoding device

ABSTRACT

In a case of referring to information between pictures by means of inter prediction, the entire picture needs to be decoded even in a case of decoding a small region. In a case of referring to information within a picture by means of intra prediction, referring to information across a tile boundary is not possible. In a case that a pixel pointed by a sub-block level motion vector of a target block that is calculated by scaling based on an available motion vector acquired from a spatial neighboring block or a temporal neighboring block is not present within a tile sequence, a process of replacing the pixel value with a pixel value within the tile sequence is performed. In a case of referring to a pixel outside of a tile by means of intra prediction, a process of replacing the pixel value with that of a pixel within the tile is performed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

One aspect of the present invention relates to a video decoding deviceand a video encoding device.

BACKGROUND ART

A video encoding device which generates coded data by coding a video,and a video decoding device which generates decoded images by decodingthe coded data are used to transmit or record a video efficiently.

For example, specific video coding schemes include schemes suggested inH.264/AVC and High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC).

In such a video coding scheme, images (pictures) constituting a videoare managed by a hierarchy structure including slices obtained bysplitting images, Coding Tree Units (CTUs) obtained by splitting theslices, coding units (CUs) obtained by splitting the coding tree units,Prediction Units (PUs) which are blocks obtained by splitting the codingunits, and Transform Units (TUs), and are coded/decoded for each CU.

In such a video coding scheme, usually, a prediction image is generatedbased on local decoded images obtained by coding/decoding input images,and prediction residual (also sometimes referred to as “differenceimages” or “residual images”) obtained by subtracting the predictionimages from input images (original images) are coded. Generation methodsof prediction images include an inter-picture prediction (an interprediction) and an intra-picture prediction (intra prediction) (NPL 1).

In recent years, along with the advancement in processors, such as amulti-core CPU and a GPU, configurations and algorithms that facilitateperformance of parallel processes have been adopted for a video codingand decoding process. As an example of a configuration facilitatingparallelization, a screen (picture) split unit, called a Tile, has beenintroduced. Unlike a slice, a tile is obtained by splitting a pictureinto rectangular regions, and a tile is decoded without referring toinformation (a prediction mode, an MV, a pixel value) outside of thetile within one picture. Consequently, the tile can be independentlydecoded within one picture (NPL 2). Incidentally, in a case that anotherdecoded picture (reference picture) is referred to by means of interprediction also in a case of using the tiles, information (a predictionmode, an MV, a pixel value) that a target tile refers to on thereference picture is not necessarily information of a region at the sameposition as the target tile on the reference picture. Therefore, even ina case that only a part of a region (tile, or a limited number of tiles)of a video is regenerated, the entire video needs to be regenerated.

In addition, in recent years, resolution for a video has been enhanced,as typified by 4K, 8K, VR, and a video that captures 360-degreeomnidirectional images, such as a 360-degree video. To watch suchimages/videos on a smartphone and a Head Mount Display (HMD), a part ofthe high-resolution image is clipped and displayed on a display. Sincecapacity of a battery for a smartphone and an HMD is not large, there isanticipation for a system that extracts a partial region necessary fordisplay so as to enable watching of an image through a minimum necessarydecoding process.

CITATION LIST Non Patent Literature

-   NPL 1: “Algorithm Description of Joint Exploration Test Model 6”,    JVET-F1001, Joint Video Exploration Team (JVET) of ITU-T SG 16 WP 3    and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 31 March-April 2017-   NPL 2: ITU-T H.265 (April 2015) SERIES H: AUDIOVISUAL AND MULTIMEDIA    SYSTEMS Infrastructure of audiovisual services—Coding of moving    video High efficiency video coding “Algorithm Description of Joint    Exploration Test Model 7”, JVET-G1001, Joint Video Exploration Team    (JVET) of ITU-T SG 16 WP 3 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29/WG 11, 31 Jul.    2017

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

As described above, a tile is obtained by splitting a picture intorectangular regions, and a tile can be decoded without referring toinformation (a prediction mode, an MV, a pixel value) outside of thetile within one picture. Specifically, the tile can be independentlydecoded within one picture. However, to decode a partial region (tile,or a limited number of tiles) of a video as a sequence, the entire videoneeds to be regenerated. To enable an independent process for each tilein a time direction as well as in a spatial direction, it is onlynecessary that an encoder abandon the use of a tool that may useinformation of a neighboring tile of a target tile and a collocatedtile. In this case, however, information related to the tool needs to betransmitted uselessly, and this significantly reduces coding efficiency.Furthermore, a process without the use of information of a neighboringtile of a target tile is also required, but this reduces codingefficiency.

The present invention is made in view of the problems described above,and has an object to provide a system that prevents decrease in codingefficiency, and secures independent decoding of each tile in a spatialdirection and a time direction.

Solution to Problem

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a spatial-temporal prediction process byderiving a motion vector of a target block, based on a spatialneighboring block or a temporal neighboring block, the image decodingdevice or the video encoding device including: a unit configured todetermine whether or not a reference pixel is present within a tilesequence on a reference picture, the reference pixel being referred toin a case of deriving a motion compensation image by using a motionvector of the target block; and a unit configured to derive a pixelvalue of the motion compensation image, based on a pixel value withinthe tile sequence, in a case that the reference pixel is not presentwithin the tile sequence, wherein a position of the temporal neighboringblock is a block including any one of lower right coordinates within acollocated block, lower left coordinates of a right neighboring block ofthe collocated block, and upper right coordinates of a lower neighboringblock of the collocated block.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, a system of securingindependence of decoding of each tile is introduced in each individualtool, and therefore decrease in coding efficiency can be prevented, andeach tile can be independently decoded in a video. As a result, decodingcan be performed in a selected region necessary for display or the like,and therefore a processing amount can be reduced in a great degree.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hierarchy structure of data of acoding stream according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating patterns of PU split modes. (a) to (h)of FIG. 2 illustrate partition shapes in cases that PU split modes are2N×2N, 2N×N, 2N×nU, 2N×nD, N×2N, nL×2N, nR×2N, and N×N, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of referencepictures and reference picture lists.

FIG. 4 is block diagram illustrating a configuration of a tile encoderaccording to the present embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a tile decoderaccording to the present embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an inter predictionimage generator according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a merge predictionparameter deriver according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an AMVP predictionparameter deriver according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a decoding process ofmotion information according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an interprediction parameter encoder according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the interprediction image generator according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an inter predictionparameter decoder according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of deriving a motion vectorspMvLX[xi][yi] of each sub-block constituting a PU being a target ofmotion vector prediction.

FIG. 14 is a diagram for illustrating Bilateral matching and Templatematching. (a) of FIG. 14 illustrates Bilateral matching. (b) of FIG. 14illustrates Template matching. (c) of FIG. 14 illustrates a template ofa target block in a case that the template of the target block ispresent within a tile. (d) of FIG. 14 illustrates a template of a targetsub-block.

FIG. 15 is another diagram illustrating a hierarchy structure of data ofa coding stream according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 16 is another diagram illustrating a hierarchy structure of data ofa coding stream according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating tiles.

FIG. 18 is a syntax table related to tile information and the like.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating reference of tiles in a timedirection.

FIG. 20 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a videoencoding device and a video decoding device according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 21 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship between atile boundary, a target block, and a reference block.

FIG. 22 is a diagram illustrating an ATMVP process.

FIG. 23 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the ATMVP process.

FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a prediction vector candidate list(merge candidate list).

FIG. 25 is a diagram illustrating an STMVP process.

FIG. 26 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the STMVP process.

FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating configurations of a transmissiondevice equipped with the video encoding device and a reception deviceequipped with the video decoding device according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 27(a) illustrates the transmission device equipped withthe video encoding device, and FIG. 27(b) illustrates the receptiondevice equipped with the video decoding device.

FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating configurations of a recording deviceequipped with the video encoding device and a regeneration deviceequipped with the video decoding device according to the presentembodiment. FIG. 28(a) illustrates the recording device equipped withthe video encoding device, and FIG. 28(b) illustrates the regenerationdevice equipped with the video decoding device.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an imagetransmission system according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 30 is a diagram illustrating an example of positions of referenceblocks used to derive motion vectors of control points in affineprediction.

FIG. 31 is a flowchart illustrating operation of affine prediction.

FIG. 32 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a motion vectorderivation process of a matching mode.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating an example of a target sub-block andneighboring blocks of the target sub-block in OBMC prediction.

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating a parameter derivation process inOBMC prediction.

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating a bilateral template matching process.

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating an example of pixels used to deriveprediction parameters of LIC prediction.

FIG. 37 is a diagram illustrating an intra prediction mode.

FIG. 38 is a diagram illustrating a prediction target block andunfiltered/filtered reference images.

FIG. 39 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an intraprediction image generator.

FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating a CCLM prediction process.

FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an LMpredictor.

FIG. 42 is a diagram illustrating a boundary filter.

FIG. 43 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a prediction imagecorrection unit.

FIG. 44 is a diagram illustrating an example of a reference intensitycoefficient table.

FIG. 45 is a flowchart illustrating operation of the intra predictionimage generator.

FIG. 46 is a diagram illustrating a reference pixel of a boundary filterat a tile boundary.

FIG. 47 is another diagram illustrating a boundary filter.

FIG. 48 is a diagram illustrating a search range of a target block.

FIG. 49 is another diagram illustrating a positional relationship of atile boundary, a target block, and a reference block.

FIG. 50 is another diagram illustrating a positional relationship of atile boundary, a target block, and a reference block.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an imagetransmission system 1 according to the present embodiment.

The image transmission system 1 is a system configured to transmit codesof a coding target image having been coded, decode the transmittedcodes, and display an image. The image transmission system 1 includes animage encoding device (video encoding device) 11, a network 21, an imagedecoding device (video decoding device) 31, and an image display device(video display device) 41.

An image T indicating an image of a single layer or multiple layers isinput to the image encoding device 11. A layer is a concept used todistinguish multiple pictures in a case that there are one or morepictures to configure a certain time. For example, coding an identicalpicture in multiple layers having different image qualities andresolutions is scalable coding, and coding pictures having differentviewpoints in multiple layers is view scalable coding. In a case ofperforming a prediction (an inter-layer prediction, an inter-viewprediction) between pictures in multiple layers, coding efficiencygreatly improves. In a case of not performing a prediction, in a case of(simulcast), coded data can be compiled.

The network 21 transmits a coding stream Te generated by the imageencoding device 11 to the image decoding device 31. The network 21 isthe Internet (internet), Wide Area Network (WAN), Local Area Network(LAN), or combinations thereof. The network 21 is not necessarily abidirectional communication network, but may be a unidirectionalcommunication network configured to transmit broadcast wave such asdigital terrestrial television broadcasting and satellite broadcasting.The network 21 may be substituted by a storage medium that records thecoding stream Te, such as Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) and Blue-ray Disc(BD).

The image decoding device 31 decodes each of the coding streams Tetransmitted by the network 21, and generates one or multiple decodedimages Td.

The image display device 41 displays all or part of one or multipledecoded images Td generated by the image decoding device 31. Forexample, the image display device 41 includes a display device such as aliquid crystal display and an organic Electro-luminescence (EL) display.Examples of a display type include stationary, mobile, HMD, and thelike. In spacial scalable coding and SNR scalable coding, in a case thatthe image decoding device 31 and the image display device 41 have highprocessing capability, an enhanced layer image having high image qualityis displayed, and in a case of having lower processing capability, abase layer image which does not require as high processing capabilityand display capability as an enhanced layer is displayed.

Operator

Operators used herein will be described below.

An operator “>>” is a right bit shift operator, “<<” is a left bit shiftoperator, “&” is a bitwise AND operator, “|” is a bitwise OR operator,and “|=” is an OR assignment operator.

X ? An operator “x?y:z” is a ternary operator representing that y isobtained in case that x is true (that is, other than “0”) or z isobtained in a case that x is false (that is, “0”).

Clip3 (a, b, c) is a function to clip c in a value equal to or greaterthan a and equal to or less than b, and a function to return a in a casethat c is less than a (c<a), return b in a case that c is greater than b(c>b), and return c otherwise (however, a is equal to or less than b(a<=b)).

“abs(a)” is a function that returns an absolute value of a.

“Int(a)” is a function that returns an integer value of a.

“floor(a)” is a function that returns a maximum integer that is smalleror equal to a.

“a/d” represents a division of a by d (decimal places are rounded down).

Structure of Coding Stream Te

Prior to the detailed description of the image encoding device 11 andthe image decoding device 31 according to the present embodiment, thedata structure of the coding stream Te generated by the image encodingdevice 11 and decoded by the image decoding device 31 will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a hierarchy structure of data in thecoding stream Te. The coding stream Te includes a sequence and multiplepictures constituting a sequence illustratively. (a) to (f) of FIG. 1are diagrams illustrating a coding video sequence prescribing a sequenceSEQ, a coding picture prescribing a picture PICT, a coding sliceprescribing a slice S, a coding slice data prescribing slice data, acoding tree unit included in coding slice data, and Coding Units (CUs)included in a coding tree unit, respectively.

Coding Video Sequence

In the coding video sequence, a set of data referred to by the imagedecoding device 31 to decode the sequence SEQ of a processing target isprescribed. As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 1 , the sequence SEQ includesa Video Parameter Set VPS, a Sequence Parameter Set SPS, a PictureParameter Set PPS, a picture PICT, and Supplemental EnhancementInformation SEI. Here, a value indicated after #indicates a layer ID.FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which there is coded data of #0 and #1,that is, a layer 0 and a layer 1, but types of layer and the number oflayers are not limited thereto.

In the video parameter set VPS, for a video including multiple layers, aset of coding parameters common to multiple videos and a set of codingparameters associated with multiple layers and an individual layerincluded in a video are prescribed.

In the sequence parameter set SPS, a set of coding parameters referredto by the image decoding device 31 to decode a target sequence isprescribed. For example, width and height of a picture are prescribed.Note that multiple SPSs may exist. In that case, any of multiple SPSs isselected from the PPS.

In the picture parameter set PPS, a set of coding parameters referred toby the image decoding device 31 to decode each picture in a targetsequence is prescribed. For example, a reference value(pic_init_qp_minus26) of a quantization step size used for decoding of apicture and a flag (weighted_pred_flag) indicating an application of aweighted prediction are included. Note that multiple PPSs may exist. Inthat case, any of multiple PPSs is selected from each slice header in atarget sequence.

Coding Picture

In the coding picture, a set of data referred to by the image decodingdevice 31 to decode the picture PICT of a processing target isprescribed. As illustrated in (b) of FIG. 1 , the picture PICT includesslices S0 to S_(NS-1) (NS is the total number of slices included in thepicture PICT).

Note that in a case not necessary to distinguish the slices S0 toS_(NS-1) below, subscripts of reference signs may be omitted anddescribed. The same applies to other data included in the coding streamTe described below and described with an added subscript.

Coding Slice

In the coding slice, a set of data referred to by the image decodingdevice 31 to decode the slice S of a processing target is prescribed. Asillustrated in (c) of FIG. 1 , the slice S includes a slice header SHand a slice data SDATA.

The slice header SH includes a coding parameter group referred to by theimage decoding device 31 to determine a decoding method of a targetslice. Slice type specification information (slice_type) to specify aslice type is one example of a coding parameter included in the sliceheader SH.

Examples of slice types that can be specified by the slice typespecification information include (1) I slice using only an intraprediction in coding, (2) P slice using a unidirectional prediction oran intra prediction in coding, (3) B slice using a unidirectionalprediction, a bidirectional prediction, or an intra prediction incoding, and the like. Note that an inter prediction is not limited to auni-prediction or a bi-prediction, and a greater number of referencepictures may be used to generate a prediction image. Hereinafter, in acase that a slice is referred to as a P or B slice, the slice refers toa slice that includes a block that may employ an inter prediction.

Note that, the slice header SH may include a reference(pic_parameter_set_id) to the picture parameter set PPS included in thecoding video sequence.

Coding Slice Data

In the coding slice data, a set of data referred to by the imagedecoding device 31 to decode the slice data SDATA of a processing targetis prescribed. As illustrated in (d) of FIG. 1 , the slice data SDATAincludes a Coding Tree Unit (CTU, CTU block). The CTU is a block of afixed size (for example, 64×64) constituting a slice, and may bereferred to as a Largest Coding Unit (LCU).

Coding Tree Unit

In (e) of FIG. 1 , a set of data referred to by the image decodingdevice 31 to decode the coding tree unit of a processing target isprescribed. The coding tree unit is split into Coding Units (CUs), eachof which is a basic unit of coding processing, by recursive quad treesplit (QT split) or binary tree split (BT split). A tree structureobtained by the recursive quad tree splits or binary tree is referred toas a Coding Tree (CT), and a node of the tree structure is referred toas a Coding Node (CN). An intermediate node of the quad tree or binarytree is a coding node, and the coding tree unit itself is alsoprescribed as the highest coding node.

The CT includes, as CT information, a QT split flag (cu_split_flag)indicating whether or not to perform the QT split and a BT split mode(split_bt_mode) indicating a split method of the BT split. cu_split_flagand/or split_bt_mode are transmitted for each coding node CN. In a casethat cu_split_flag is 1, the coding node CN is split into four codingnodes CN. In a case that cu_split_flag is 0, in a case thatsplit_bt_mode is 1, the coding node CN is horizontally split into twocoding nodes CN, in a case that split_bt_mode is 2, the coding node CNis vertically split into two coding nodes CN, and in a case thatsplit_bt_mode is 0, the coding node CN is not split and has one codingunit CU as a node. The coding unit CU is an end node (leaf node) of thecoding nodes, and is not split anymore.

In a case that a size of the coding tree unit CTU is 64×64 pixels, asize of the coding unit can be any of 64×64 pixels, 64×32 pixels, 32×64pixels, 32×32 pixels, 64×16 pixels, 16×64 pixels, 32×16 pixels, 16×32pixels, 16×16 pixels, 64×8 pixels, 8×64 pixels, 32×8 pixels, 8×32pixels, 16×8 pixels, 8×16 pixels, and 8×8 pixels, 64×4 pixels, 4×64pixels, 32×4 pixels, 4×32 pixels, 16×4 pixels, 4×16 pixels, 8×4 pixels,4×8 pixels, and 4×4 pixels.

Coding Unit

In (f) of FIG. 1 , a set of data referred to by the image decodingdevice 31 to decode the coding unit of a processing target isprescribed. Specifically, the coding unit includes a prediction tree, atransform tree, and a CU header CUH. In the CU header, a predictionmode, a split method (PU split mode), and the like are prescribed.

Note that the data structure of the coding stream Te may have aconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 15 instead of that in FIG. 1 . Adifference between FIG. 15 and FIG. 1 is that the slice is further splitinto tiles and the CTUs are included in each tile. Accordingly, (d)coding slice data includes the tiles, and (g) coding tile includes theCTUs.

Also, the data structure of the coding stream Te may have aconfiguration in in FIG. 16 instead of that in FIG. 1 . A differencebetween FIG. 16 and FIG. 1 is that the slices are replaced by tiles andthe CTUs are included in tile data. Accordingly, (b) coding pictureincludes the tiles, the coding tile includes a tile header and (g) tiledata, and (h) coding tile data includes the CTUs.

In the prediction tree, prediction parameters (a reference pictureindex, a motion vector, and the like) of each prediction unit (PU) areprescribed, the prediction unit being obtained by splitting the codingunit into one or multiple pieces. In another expression, the predictionunit is one or multiple non-overlapping regions constituting the codingunit. The prediction tree includes one or multiple prediction unitsobtained by the above-mentioned split. Note that, in the following, aunit of prediction where the prediction unit is further split isreferred to as a “sub-block”. The sub-block includes multiple pixels. Ina case that the sizes of the prediction unit and the sub-block are thesame, there is one sub-block in the prediction unit. In a case that theprediction unit is larger than the size of the sub-block, the predictionunit is split into sub-blocks. For example, in a case that theprediction unit is 8×8, and the sub-block is 4×4, the prediction unit issplit into four sub-blocks formed by horizontal split into two andvertical split into two.

The prediction processing may be performed for each of these predictionunits (sub-blocks).

Types of prediction for the prediction tree are roughly classified intotwo for a case of the intra prediction and a case of the interprediction. The intra prediction is a prediction in an identicalpicture, and the inter prediction refers to a prediction processingperformed between mutually different pictures (for example, betweendisplay times, and between layer images).

In a case of an intra prediction, the split method has 2N×2N (the samesize as the coding unit) and N×N.

In a case of an inter prediction, the split method includes coding by aPU split mode (part_mode) of the coded data, and includes 2N×2N (thesame size as the coding unit), 2N×N, 2N×nU, 2N×nD, N×2N, nL×2N,nR×2N<N×N, and the like. Expressions of 2N×N and N×2N represent a 1:1symmetric partition, and expressions of 2N×nU and 2N×nD, and nL×2N andnR×2N represent a 1:3 asymmetric partition and a 3:1 asymmetricpartition, respectively. The PUs included in the CU are expressed asPU0, PU1, PU2, and PU3 sequentially.

(a) to (h) of FIG. 2 illustrate shapes of partitions in respective PUsplit modes (positions of boundaries of PU split) specifically. (a) ofFIG. 2 illustrates a partition of 2N×2N, and (b), (c), and (d) of FIG. 2illustrate partitions (horizontally long partitions) of 2N×N, 2N×nU, and2N×nD, respectively. (e), (f), and (g) of FIG. 2 illustrate partitions(vertically long partitions) in cases of N×2N, nL×2N, and nR×2N,respectively, and (h) of FIG. 2 illustrates a partition of N×N. Notethat horizontally long partitions and vertically long partitions arecollectively referred to as rectangular partitions, and 2N×2N and N×Nare collectively referred to as square partitions.

In the transform tree, the coding unit is split into one or multipletransform units, and a position and size of each transform unit areprescribed. In another expression, the transform unit is one or multiplenon-overlapping regions constituting the coding unit. The transform treeincludes one or multiple transform units obtained by the above-mentionedsplit.

Splits in the transform tree include those to allocate a region that isthe same size as the coding unit as a transform unit, and those byrecursive quad tree splits similar to the above-mentioned split of CUs.

A transform processing is performed for each of these transform units.

Prediction Parameter

A prediction image of Prediction Units (PUs) is derived by predictionparameters attached to the PUs. The prediction parameter includes aprediction parameter of an intra prediction or a prediction parameter ofan inter prediction. The prediction parameter of an inter prediction(inter prediction parameters) will be described below. The interprediction parameter is constituted by prediction list utilization flagspredFlagL0 and predFlagL1, reference picture indexes refIdxL0 andrefIdxL1, and motion vectors mvL0 and mvL1. The prediction listutilization flags predFlagL0 and predFlagL1 are flags to indicatewhether or not reference picture lists referred to as L0 list and L1list respectively are used, and a corresponding reference picture listis used in a case that the value is 1. Note that, in a case that thepresent specification mentions “a flag indicating whether or not XX”, aflag being other than 0 (for example, 1) assumes a case of XX, and aflag being 0 assumes a case of not XX, and 1 is treated as true and 0 istreated as false in a logical negation, a logical product, and the like(hereinafter, the same is applied). However, other values can be usedfor true values and false values in real devices and methods.

Examples of an syntax element for deriving the inter predictionparameter included in the coded data include a PU split mode part_mode,a merge flag merge_flag, a merge index merge_idx, an inter predictionindicator inter_pred_idc, a reference picture index ref_idx_lX(refIdxLX), a prediction vector index mvp_lX_idx, and a differencevector mvdLX, for example.

Reference Picture List

A reference picture list is a list constituted by reference picturesstored in a reference picture memory 306. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagramillustrating an example of reference pictures and reference picturelists. In FIG. 3(a), a rectangle represents a picture, an arrowrepresents a picture reference relationship, an abscissa representstime, characters “I”, “P”, and “B” in the rectangles represent an intrapicture, a uni-prediction picture, and a bi-prediction picture,respectively, and a numeral in the rectangle represents a decodingorder. As illustrated, the decoding order of the pictures is I0, P1, B2,B3, and B4, and the display order is I0, B3, B2, B4, and P1. FIG. 3(b)illustrates an example of the reference picture lists. The referencepicture list is a list to represent a candidate of a reference picture,and one picture (slice) may include one or more reference picture lists.In the illustrated example, a target picture B3 includes two referencepicture lists, i.e., a L0 list RefPicList0 and a L1 list RefPicList1. Ina case that a target picture is B3, the reference pictures are I0, P1,and B2, the reference picture includes these pictures as elements. Ineach prediction unit, which picture in the reference picture listRefPicListX (X=0 or 1) is referred to is indicated by a referencepicture index refIdxLX. The diagram indicates an example where referencepictures P1 and B2 are referred to by refIdxL0 and refIdxL1. Note that“LX” is a description method used in a case that L0 prediction and L1prediction are not distinguished from each other, and parameters for theL0 list and parameters for the L1 list are distinguished by replacing“LX” with “L0” and “L1” in the following description.

Merge Prediction and AMVP Prediction

Decoding (coding) methods of prediction parameters include a mergeprediction (merge) mode and an Adaptive Motion Vector Prediction (AMVP)mode, and merge flag merge_flag is a flag to identify these. The mergemode is a mode in which a prediction list utilization flag predFlagLX(or inter prediction indicator inter_pred_idc), a reference pictureindex refIdxLX, and a motion vector mvLX are not included in the codeddata, but is derived from prediction parameters for a neighboring PUalready processed. The AMVP mode is a mode in which the inter predictionindicator inter_pred_idc, the reference picture index refIdxLX, and themotion vector mvLX are included in the coded data. Note that the motionvector mvLX is coded as a prediction vector index mvp_lX_idx identifyingthe prediction vector mvpLX and as a difference vector mvdLX.

The inter prediction indicator inter_pred_idc is a value indicatingtypes and the number of reference pictures, and takes any value ofPRED_L0, PRED_L1, and PRED_BI. PRED_L0 and PRED_L1 indicate to usereference pictures managed in the reference picture list of the L0 listand the L1 list respectively, and indicate to use one reference picture(uni-prediction). PRED_BI indicates to use two reference pictures(bi-prediction BiPred), and use reference pictures managed in the L0list and the L1 list. The prediction vector index mvp_lX_idx is an indexindicating a prediction vector, and the reference picture index refIdxLXis an index indicating reference pictures managed in a reference picturelist.

The merge index merge_idx is an index to indicate which predictionparameter to use as a prediction parameter of a decoding target PU amongprediction parameter candidates (merge candidates) derived from PUs forwhich the processing is completed.

Motion Vector

The motion vector mvLX indicates a displacement (shift) between theblocks on two different pictures. A prediction vector and a differencevector related to the motion vector mvLX is referred to as a predictionvector mvpLX and a difference vector mvdLX respectively.

Inter Prediction Indicator inter_pred_idc and Prediction ListUtilization Flag predFlagLX

A relationship between an inter prediction indicator inter_pred_idc andprediction list utilization flags predFlagL0 and predFlagL1 are asfollows, and those can be converted mutually.inter_pred_idc=(predFlagL1<<1)+predFlagL0predFlagL0=inter_pred_idc & 1predFlagL1=inter_pred_idc>>1

Note that an inter prediction parameter may use a prediction listutilization flag or may use an inter prediction indicator. Adetermination using a prediction list utilization flag may be replacedwith a determination using an inter prediction indicator. On thecontrary, a determination using an inter prediction indicator may bereplaced with a determination using a prediction list utilization flag.

Determination of Bi-Prediction biPred

A flag biPred of whether or not a bi-prediction BiPred can be derivedfrom whether or not two prediction list utilization flags are both 1.For example, the flag can be derived by the following expression.biPred=(predFlagL0==1&& predFlagL1==1)

The flag biPred can be also derived from whether an inter predictionindicator is a value indicating to use two prediction lists (referencepictures). For example, the flag can be derived by the followingexpression.biPred=(inter_pred_idc==PRED_BI)?1:0

The above expression can be also expressed by the following expression.biPred=(inter_pred_idc==PRED_BI)

Note that, for example, PRED_BI can use the value of 3.

Intra Prediction

Next, an intra prediction parameter will be described.

The intra prediction parameter is a parameter used for processing topredict a CU with information in a picture, for example, an intraprediction mode IntraPredMode, and a luminance intra prediction modeIntraPredModeY and a chrominance intra prediction mode IntraPredModeCmay be different from each other. There are 67 types of intra predictionmodes, for example, and are composed of planar prediction, DCprediction, Angular (direction) prediction. For the chrominanceprediction mode IntraPredModeC, any of a planar prediction, a DCprediction, an Angular prediction, a direct mode (mode in which aprediction mode for luminance is used), and LM prediction (a mode forperforming linear prediction, based on the luminance pixel) is used.

The luminance intra prediction mode IntraPredModeY is derived using aMost Probable Mode (MPM) candidate list including intra prediction modesestimated to have a high probability of being applied to a target blockin one case, and is derived from REM that is a prediction mode notincluded in the MPM candidate list in the other case. Which method is tobe used is signaled with a flag prev_intra_luma_pred_flag, and in theformer case, the MPM candidate list derived from an index mpm_idx and anintra prediction mode of a neighboring block is used to deriveIntraPredModeY. In the latter case, a flag rem_selected_mode_flag, andmodes rem_selected_mode and rem_non_selected_mode are used to derive theintra prediction mode.

The chrominance intra prediction mode IntraPredModeC is derived using aflag not_lm_chroma_flag indicating whether or not to use the LMprediction in a case, is derived using a flag not_dm_chroma_flagindicating whether or not to use the direct mode in a case, or isderived using an index chroma_intra_mode_idx directly specifying theintra prediction mode applied to a chrominance pixel in a case.

Loop Filter

A loop filter is a filter provided in a coding loop to remove a blockdistortion and a ringing distortion and improve an image quality. Theloop filter mainly includes a deblocking filter, a Sample AdaptiveOffset (SAO), and an Adaptive Loop Filter (ALF).

In a case that a difference in pre-deblock pixel values of pixels of theluminance component neighboring each other through the block boundary isless than a predetermined threshold value, the deblocking filterperforms deblocking on the pixels of the luminance and the chrominancecomponent with respect to the block boundary to smooth the image in thevicinity of the block boundary.

The SAO is a filter that is applied after the deblocking filtering, andhas the effect of removing a ringing distortion and a quantizationdistortion. The SAO, which is a process in units of CTU, is a filterthat classifies pixel values into several categories to add or subtractoffsets in units of pixel for each category. Edge offset (EO) processingof the SAO determines an offset value that is added to the pixel valuein accordance with a size relationship between the target pixel and theneighboring pixel (reference pixel).

The ALF subjects a ALF-unperformed decoded image to an adaptivefiltering process using an ALF parameter (filter coefficient) ALFP thatis decoded from the coding stream Te to generate a ALF-performed decodedimage.

The filter coefficient is signaled immediately after the slice headerand stored in a memory. In a slice or picture for which the subsequentinter prediction is used, other than signaling the filter coefficientsthemselves, filter coefficients that have been signaled in the past andstored in the memory are indicated by indexes without signaling thefilter coefficients themselves to reduce a bit amount required to codethe filter coefficients. However, in order to independently decode eachtile described later, the ALF may signal and store the filtercoefficients in units of tile and use the filter coefficients indicatedby the indexes to subject subsequent tiles having the same TileId to theadaptive filtering process.

Entropy Coding

Entropy coding includes a method of variable-length coding a syntaxusing a context (probability model) that is adaptively selecteddepending on the type of syntax or the surrounding situation, and amethod of variable-length coding a syntax using a predetermined table orcalculation formula. In the former Context Adaptive Binary ArithmeticCoding (CABAC), the probability model updated for each coded or decodingpicture is stored in the memory. Then, in the P picture or B picture forwhich the subsequent inter prediction is used, as an initial state ofthe context of the target picture, a probability model of the pictureusing the same slice type and the same slice level quantizationparameter is selected among the probability models stored in the memoryand is used for coding and decoding processes. To independently decodeeach tile, the probability model is stored in the memory in units oftile. Then, as the initial state of the context in a subsequent tilehaving the same TileId, the probability model of the already decodedtile used for coding or decoding the same slice type and the same slicelevel quantization parameters may be selected.

Tile

FIG. 17(a) is a diagram illustrating an example of splitting a pictureinto N tiles (solid rectangles, the figure illustrates an example ofN=9). The tile is further split into multiple CTUs (broken linerectangles). Assume that upper left coordinates of the center tile inFIG. 17(a) are (xTs, yTs), a width is wT, and a height is hT. Assumethat a width of the picture is wPict and a height is hPict. Note thatinformation regarding the number and size of split tiles is referred toas tile information, and details thereof are described below.

FIG. 17(b) is a diagram illustrating a coding and decoding order of CTUsin a case that the picture is split into the tiles. A number assigned toeach tile is the TileId (the identifier of the tile in the picture), thenumbers are assigned in raster scan order from a top left to a bottomright to the tiles in the picture, and the tiles are processed in theorder based on the TileId. In other words, the tiles are coded anddecoded in ascending order of the TileId. The CTUs are processed inraster scan order from a top left to a bottom right in each tile, andafter the process in one tile ends, CTUs in the next tile are processed.

FIG. 17(c) is a diagram illustrating tiles continuous in a timedirection. As illustrated in FIG. 17(c), a video sequence is composed ofmultiple pictures continuous in the time direction. A tile sequence iscomposed of one or more tiles of time continuous in the time direction.Note that a Coded Video Sequence (CVS) in the figure is a group ofpictures from an intra picture to a picture immediately before the nextintra picture in decoding order.

FIG. 18 is an example of syntax for tile information and the like, andis described below in the order of FIGS. 18(b), 18(d), 18(a), and 18(c).

The tile information includes, for example, num_tile_columns_minus1,num_tile_rows_minus1, uniform_spacing_flag, column_width_minus1[i], androw_height_minus1[i], as illustrated in FIG. 18(b), and is signaled withthe PPS, for example. Here, num_tile_columns_minus1 andnum_tile_rows_minus1 represent values obtained by subtracting 1 from thenumbers of tiles in the picture in the horizontal and verticaldirections, respectively. uniform_spacing_flag is a flag indicatingwhether or not a picture is evenly split into tiles. In a case that avalue of uniform_spacing_flag is 1, the widths of the respective tilesin the picture are configured to be identical and the heights of thosetiles are configured to be identical, and the width and the height canbe derived from the numbers of tiles in the picture in the horizontaland vertical directions, respectively.wT=wPict/(num_tile_columns_minus1+1)hT=hPict/(num_tile_rows_minus1+1)

In a case that the value of uniform_spacing_flag is 0, the widths of therespective tiles in the picture may not be configured to be identicaland the height of those tiles may not be configured to be identical, andthe width column_width_minus1[i] (wT in FIG. 17 ) and the heightrow_height_minus1[i] (hT in FIG. 17 ) of each tile are coded for eachtile.

Tile Boundary Restriction

Since the tile information is signaled with the PPS, the tile positionand size can be changed for each picture. On the other hand, in a casethat the tile sequence is independently decoded, that is, the tileshaving the same TileId can be decoded without referring to informationof a tile having different TileId, the tile position and size may not bechanged for each picture. That is, in a case that each tile refers to apicture (reference picture) of a different time, the identical tilesplitting may be applied in all the pictures in the CVS. In this case,the tiles having the same TileID are configured to have the same upperleft coordinates, the same width, and the same height throughout all thepictures in the CVS.

Signaled is that the tile information does not change throughout theCVS, by setting a value of tiles_fixed_structure_flag in vui_parameters() illustrated in FIG. 18(d) to 1. That is, in a case that the value oftiles_fixed_structure_flag is 1, values of num_tile_columns_minus1,num_tile_rows_minus1, uniform_spacing_flag, column_width_minus1[i],row_height_minus1[i], and loop_filter_across_tiles_enabled_flag (on-offof the loop filter at the tile boundary) that are signaled with the PPSmay be unique throughout the CVS. In the case that the value oftiles_fixed_structure_flag is 1, the tiles having the same TileId arenot changed in the tile position on the picture (the upper leftcoordinates, width, and height of the tile) in the CVS even in a pictureat a different time (Picture Order Count (POC)). In the case that thevalue of tiles_fixed_structure_flag is 0, the tile sequence may vary insize by time.

FIG. 18(a) is a syntax table that is a portion excerpted from thesequence parameter set SPS. An independent tile flagindependent_tile_flag is a flag indicating whether or not the tilesequence can be independently coded and decoded also in the timedirection in addition to a spatial direction. In a case that a value ofindependent_tile_flag is 1, it is meant that the tile sequence can beindependently coded and decoded. In this case, the following constraintsmay be imposed on tile coding and decoding and the syntax of the codeddata.

(Constraint 1) In the CVS, the tile does not refer to the information ofthe tile having different TileId.

(Constraint 2) The numbers of tiles signaled with the PPS in thehorizontal and vertical directions in the picture, the widths of thetiles, and the heights of the tiles are identical throughout the CVS.The tiles having the same TileId are not changed in the tile position onthe picture (the upper left coordinates, width, and height of the tile)in the CVS even in a picture at a different time (POC). The value oftiles_fixed_structure_flag in vui_parameters( ) is set to 1.

The above (Constraint 1) “the tile does not refer to the information ofthe tile having different TileId” is described in detail.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the reference to tiles in the timedirection (between different pictures). FIG. 19(a) is an example ofsplitting an intra picture Pict(t0) at a time t0 into N tiles. FIG.19(b) is an example of splitting an inter picture Pict(t1) at timet1=t0+1 into N tiles. Pict(t1) refers to Pict(t0). FIG. 19(c) is anexample of splitting an inter picture Pict(t2) at a time t2=t0+2 into Ntiles. Pict(t2) refers to Pict(t1). In the figure, Tile (n, t)represents a tile having the TileId=n (n=0 . . . N−1) at the time t. Inaccordance with the above (constraint 2), at any time, the upper leftcoordinates of the tile having the TileId=n, the width of that tile, andthe height of that tile are identical.

In FIG. 19(b), CU1, CU2, and CU3 in a tile Tile (n, t1) refer to blocksBLK1, BLK2, and BLK3 in FIG. 19(a). In this case, BLK1 and BLK3 areblocks contained in tiles outside of a tile Tile (n, t0), and in orderto refer to BLK1 and BLK3, not only Tile (n, t0) but also entirePict(t0) needs to be decoded at the time t0. That is, the tile Tile (n,t1) cannot be decoded by simply decoding the tile sequence correspondingto TileId=n at the times t0 and t1, and a tile sequence of TileId otherthan TileId=n also needs to be decoded in addition to the tile sequenceof TileId=n. Thus, in order to independently decode the tile sequence,reference pixels in the reference pictures that are referred by a motioncompensation image for the CU in the tile need to be included incollocated tiles (tiles at identical positions on the referencepictures).

In FIG. 19(c), CU4 neighboring a right end boundary of a tile Tile (n,t2) refers to, as a prediction vector candidate in the time direction, ablock CU4BR on the lower right of CU4′ in the picture at the time t1illustrated in FIG. 19(b), and a motion vector of CU4BR is stored as aprediction vector candidate in a prediction vector candidate list (mergecandidate list). However, CU4BR is located outside of the collocatedtile at CU on the right end of the tile, and Tile (n, t1) as well as atleast Tile (n+1, t1) need to be decoded at the time t1 in order to referto CU4BR. That is, the tile Tile (n, t2) cannot be decoded by simplydecoding the tile sequence of TileId=n. This similarly applies to blocksthat are neighboring a lower end boundary of the tile. Thus, in order toindependently decode the tile sequence, a block on the reference picturethat is referred to as the prediction vector candidate in the timedirection needs to be included in the collocated tile. A specificimplementation method for the above-described constraints is describedin the following description for an image decoding device and an imageencoding device.

In the case that the value of independent_tile_flag is 0, it is meantthat the tile sequence may not necessarily be able to be decodedindependently.

Configuration of Image Decoding Device

FIG. 20(a) illustrates an image decoding device (video decoding device)2000 according to the present invention. The image decoding device 2000includes a header information decoder 2001, tile decoders 2002 a to 2002n, and a tile synthesis unit 2003.

The header information decoder 2001 decodes the coding stream Te inputfrom the outside and coded in units of network abstraction layer (NAL).The header information decoder 2001 derives the tile (TileId) requiredfor display from control information indicating an image area to bedisplayed on the display or the like input from the outside. The headerinformation decoder 2001 extracts the coding tiles required for displayfrom the coding stream Te and transmits the extracted coding tiles tothe tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n. Furthermore, the header informationdecoder 2001 transmits the tile information obtained by decoding the PPS(information regarding tile split) and the TileId of the tile to bedecoded to tile synthesis unit 2003.

The tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n decode the respective coded tiles andtransmit the decoded tiles to the tile synthesis unit 2003.

Here, each of the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n performs the decodingprocess on the tile sequence treating as one independent video sequence,and thus, does not temporally or spatially refer to the predictioninformation between the tile sequences in a case of performing thedecoding process. That is, each of the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n,in decoding a tile in a picture, does not refer to tiles of other tilesequences (having different TileId).

Since the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n individually decode the tiles,it is possible to perform the decoding process on multiple tiles inparallel as well as independently decode only one tile. As a result, byuse of the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n, the decoding process can beefficiently performed, such as that an image required for display can bedecoded by performing only the minimum necessary decoding process.

The tile synthesis unit 2003 refers to the tile information transmittedfrom the header information decoder 2001 and the TileId of the tile tobe decoded, and the tiles decoded by the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n,to generate and output the decoded image Td required for display.

Configuration of Tile Decoder

A configuration of the tile decoders 2002 a to 2002 n will be described.A configuration of the tile decoder 2002 a as an example will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 is a block diagramillustrating a configuration of 2002, which is one of the tile decoders2002 a to 2002 n. The tile decoder 2002 includes an entropy decoder 301,a prediction parameter decoder (prediction image decoding device) 302, aloop filter 305, a reference picture memory 306, a prediction parametermemory 307, a prediction image generator (prediction image generationdevice) 308, an inverse quantization and inverse transform processingunit 311, and an addition unit 312. Note that there may be aconfiguration in which the tile decoder 2002 does not include the loopfilter 305 in association with a tile encoder 2012 described later.

The prediction parameter decoder 302 includes an inter predictionparameter decoder 303 and an intra prediction parameter decoder 304. Theprediction image generator 308 includes an inter prediction imagegenerator 309 and an intra prediction image generator 310.

In addition, examples in which the CTU, the CU, the PU, and the TU areused as the units for processing are described below, but the presentinvention is not limited to this example, and the process may beperformed in units of CU instead of in units of TU or PU. Alternatively,the CTU, the CU, the PU, and the TU may be interpreted as the block, andthe process may be interpreted as the process in units of block.

The entropy decoder 301 performs entropy decoding on the coding streamTe input from the outside, and separates and decodes individual codes(syntax elements). Examples of the separated codes include theprediction parameters for generating the prediction image and residualinformation for generating a difference image.

The entropy decoder 301 outputs a part of the separated codes to theprediction parameter decoder 302. Examples of a part of the separatedcodes include a prediction mode predMode, a PU split mode part_mode, amerge flag merge_flag, a merge index merge_idx, an inter predictionindicator inter_pred_idc, a reference picture index ref_idx_lX, aprediction vector index mvp_lX_idx, and a difference vector mvdLX. Thecontrol of which code to decode is performed based on an indication ofthe prediction parameter decoder 302. The entropy decoder 301 outputsquantized transform coefficients to the inverse quantization and inversetransform processing unit 311. These quantized transform coefficientsare coefficients obtained through quantization by performing, on theresidual signal, frequency conversion such as Discrete Cosine Transform(DCT), Discrete Sine Transform (DST), and Karyhnen Loeve Transform (KLT)in coding processing.

The inter prediction parameter decoder 303 decodes an inter predictionparameter with reference to a prediction parameter stored in theprediction parameter memory 307, based on a code input from the entropydecoder 301. The inter prediction parameter decoder 303 outputs thedecoded inter prediction parameter to the prediction image generator308, and also stores the decoded inter prediction parameter in theprediction parameter memory 307. Details of the inter predictionparameter decoder 303 will be described later.

The intra prediction parameter decoder 304 decodes an intra predictionparameter with reference to a prediction parameter stored in theprediction parameter memory 307, based on a code input from the entropydecoder 301. The intra prediction parameter is a parameter used in aprocessing to predict a CU in one picture, for example, an intraprediction mode IntraPredMode. The intra prediction parameter decoder304 outputs a decoded intra prediction parameter to the prediction imagegenerator 308, and also stores the decoded intra prediction parameter inthe prediction parameter memory 307.

The intra prediction parameter decoder 304 may derive different intraprediction modes depending on luminance and chrominance. In this case,the intra prediction parameter decoder 304 decodes a luminanceprediction mode IntraPredModeY as a prediction parameter of luminance,and decodes a chrominance prediction mode IntraPredModeC as a predictionparameter of chrominance. The luminance prediction mode IntraPredModeYhas 67 modes, which correspond to the planar prediction (0), the DCprediction (1), and the Angular (directional) predictions (2 to 66). Thechrominance prediction mode IntraPredModeC uses any of the planarprediction (0), the DC prediction (1), the Angular (directional)predictions (2 to 66), and the LM predictions (67 to 72). The intraprediction parameter decoder 304 decodes a flag indicating whether ornot the chrominance prediction is a LM prediction, and in a case thatthe flag indicates a LM prediction, the intra prediction parameterdecoder 304 decodes information regarding the LM prediction (informationindicating whether or not it is a CCLM prediction, informationspecifying a down-sampling method). Here, the LM prediction will bedescribed. The LM prediction is a prediction scheme using a correlationbetween a luminance component and a color component, in which aprediction image of the chrominance image (Cb, Cr) is generated using alinear model based on the decoded luminance image. The LM predictionincludes a Cross-Component Linear Model prediction (CCLM prediction) anda Multiple Model ccLM (MMLM) prediction. The CCLM prediction is aprediction scheme using one linear model for predicting a chrominancefrom a luminance for one block. The MMLM prediction is a predictionscheme using two or more linear models for predicting a chrominance froma luminance for one block. In a case that a chrominance format is 4:2:0,the luminance image is downsampled to have a size the same as that ofthe chrominance image in order to create a linear model. Thisdown-sampling method includes a method using a fixed sampling filter(default sampling filter) and a method of adaptively switching foursampling filters (additional sampling filters). Therefore, decoded asinformation specifying the downsampling method are informationspecifying whether the LM prediction is a CCLM prediction or a MMLMprediction, an index specifying whether or not the sampling filter is adefault sampling filter, and the sampling filter in a case of using theadditional sampling filter. In a case that the flag indicates that aprediction is different from the LM prediction, decoded asIntraPredModeC are the planar prediction (0), the DC prediction (1), theAngular predictions (2 to 66), and the DM prediction (chrominanceprediction using the same prediction mode as the luminance predictionmode). FIG. 37 is a diagram illustrating an intra prediction mode.Directions of straight lines corresponding to 2 to 66 in FIG. 37represent the prediction directions, and more accurately indicatedirections of pixels on a reference region R (described later) to whichprediction target pixels refer.

The loop filter 305 applies a filter such as a deblocking filter 313, asample adaptive offset (SAO) 314, and an adaptive loop filter (ALF) 315to a decoded image of the CU generated by the addition unit 312. Notethat the loop filter 305 may not necessarily include the three types offilters as long as the loop filter 305 is paired with the tile encoder2012, and may include only the deblocking filter 313, for example.

The reference picture memory 306 stores the decoded image of the CUgenerated by the addition unit 312 in a predefined location for eachdecoding target picture and CTU or CU.

The prediction parameter memory 307 stores a prediction parameter in aprescribed position for each picture and prediction unit (or asub-block, a fixed size block, and a pixel) of a decoding target.Specifically, the prediction parameter memory 307 stores an interprediction parameter decoded by the inter prediction parameter decoder303, an intra prediction parameter decoded by the intra predictionparameter decoder 304 and a prediction mode predMode separated by theentropy decoder 301. For example, inter prediction parameters storedinclude a prediction list utilization flag predFlagLX (the interprediction indicator inter_pred_idc), a reference picture indexrefIdxLX, and a motion vector mvLX.

To the prediction image generator 308, a prediction mode predMode inputfrom the entropy decoder 301 is input, and a prediction parameter isinput from the prediction parameter decoder 302. The prediction imagegenerator 308 reads a reference picture from the reference picturememory 306. The prediction image generator 308 uses the input predictionparameters and the read out reference picture (reference picture block)to generate a prediction image of the PU (block) or sub-block in theprediction mode indicated by the prediction mode predMode.

Here, in a case that the prediction mode predMode indicates an interprediction mode, the inter prediction image generator 309 uses the interprediction parameter input from the inter prediction parameter decoder303 and the read out reference picture (reference picture block) togenerate the prediction image of the PU (block) or sub-block by theinter prediction.

For a reference picture list (an L0 list or an L1 list) where aprediction list utilization flag predFlagLX is 1, the inter predictionimage generator 309 reads a reference picture block from the referencepicture memory 306 in a position indicated by a motion vector mvLX,based on a decoding target PU from reference pictures indicated by thereference picture index refIdxLX. The inter prediction image generator309 performs interpolation based on the read out reference picture blockto generate the prediction image of the PU (interpolation image, motioncompensation image). The inter prediction image generator 309 outputsthe generated prediction image of the PU to the addition unit 312. Here,the reference picture block is a set of pixels on the reference picture(the reason to be called a block is because it generally has a rectangleshape), and is an area referred to in order to generate the predictionimage of the PU or sub-block.

Tile Boundary Padding

The reference picture block (reference block) is a block that is at aposition indicated by the motion vector mvLX with reference to aposition of the target CU (block) on the reference picture indicated bythe reference picture index refIdxLX with respect to the referencepicture list of the prediction list utilization flag predFlagLX=1. Asdescribed above, there is no assurance that the pixels of the referenceblock are located within the tile (collocated tile) on the referencepicture having the same TileId as the target tile. Therefore, as anexample, the reference block can be read without referring to values ofthe pixels outside the collocated tile by padding the outside of eachtile (compensating by the values of pixels on the tile boundary) in thereference picture, as illustrated in FIG. 21(a).

The tile boundary padding (padding outside tile) is achieved by using apixel value refImg[xRef+i][yRef+j] at the following position xRef+i,yRef+j as a pixel value of a reference pixel position (xIntL+i, yIntL+j)in motion compensation by the motion compensation unit 3091 describedbelow. That is, in referring to the reference pixel, the referenceposition is achieved by clipping at the positions of the boundary pixelson the top, bottom, left, and right of the tile.xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−1,xIntL+i)yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−1,yIntL+j)  (Expression PAD-1)

where, (xTs, yTs) is the upper left coordinates of the target tile inwhich the target block is located, and wT and hT are a width and heightof the target tile.

Note that, xIntL and yIntL assuming that the upper left coordinates ofthe target block relative to the upper left coordinates of the pictureare (xb, yb) and the motion vector is (mvLX[0], mvLX[1]) may be derivedbyxIntL=xb+(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))yIntL=yb+(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M)).  (Expression PAD-2)where M indicates that an accuracy of the motion vector is 1/M pel.

By reading the pixel values of the coordinates (xRef+i, yRef+j), thepadding in FIG. 21(a) can be achieved.

In the case of independent_tile_flag=1, by padding the tile boundary inthis manner, the reference pixel is replaced by the pixel value in thecollocated tile, even in a case that the motion vector points to theoutside of the collocated tile in the inter prediction, and therefore,the tile sequence can be independently decoded by use of the interprediction.

Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

Other restriction methods of the tile boundary padding include tileboundary motion vector restriction. In this processing, in motioncompensation by the motion compensation unit 3091 described later, themotion vector is restricted (clipped) so that the position (xIntL+i,yIntL+j) of the reference pixel is within the collocated tile.

In this processing, in a case that the upper left coordinates (xb, yb)of the target block (target sub-block or target block), the size (W, H)of the block, the upper left coordinates (xTs, yTs) of the target tile,and the width and height of the target tile being wT, hT, the motionvector mvLX of the block is input and the restricted motion vector mvLXis output.

A left end posL, a right end posR, an upper end posU, and a lower endposD of the reference pixel in the generation of the interpolation imageof the target block are as below. Note that NTAP is the number of tapsof the filter used for generating the interpolation image.posL=xb+(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))−NTAP/2+1posR=xb+W−1+(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))+NTAP/2posU=yb+(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M))−NTAP/2+1posD=yb+H−1+(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M))+NTAP/2  (Expression CLIP1)

The restrictions for the reference pixels being within the collocatedtile are as below.posL>=xTsposR<=xTs+wT−1posU>=yTsposD<=yTs+hT−1  (Expression CLIP2)

The following deformation is possible.posL=xb+(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))−NTAP/2+1>=xTs(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))>=xTs−xb+NTAP/2−1posR=xb+W−1+(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))+NTAP/2<=xTs+wT−1(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))<=xTs+wT−1−xb−W+1−NTAP/2posU=yb+(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M))−NTAP/2+1>=yTs(mvLX[0]>>log 2(M))>=yTs−yb+NTAP/2−1posD=yb+H−1+(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M))+NTAP/2<=yTs+hT−1(mvLX[1]>>log 2(M))<=yTs+hT−1−yb−H+1−NTAP/2  (Expression CLIP3)

Accordingly, the restrictions on the motion vector may be derived fromthe following expressions.mvLX[0]=Clip3(vxmin,vxmax,mvLX[0])mvLX[1]=Clip3(vymin,vymax,mvLX[1])  (Expression CLIP4)where,vxmin=(xTs−xb+NTAP/2−1)<<log 2(M)vxmax=(xTs+wT−xb−W−NTAP/2)<<log 2(M)vymin=(yTs−yb+NTAP/2−1)<<log 2(M)vymax=(yTs+hT−yb−H−NTAP/2)<<log 2(M)  (Expression CLIP5)

In the case of independent_tile_flag=1, by restricting the motion vectorin this way, the motion vector can always point to the outside of thecollocated tile in the inter prediction. Even in this configuration, thetile sequence may be independently decoded using the inter prediction.

In a case that the prediction mode predMode indicates an intraprediction mode, the intra prediction image generator 310 performs anintra prediction by using an intra prediction parameter input from theintra prediction parameter decoder 304 and a read reference picture.Specifically, the intra prediction image generator 310 reads aneighboring PU, which is a picture of a decoding target, in a prescribedrange from a decoding target PU among PUs already decoded, from thereference picture memory 306. The prescribed range is, for example, anyof neighboring PUs in left, upper left, top, and upper right in a casethat a decoding target PU moves in order of so-called raster scansequentially, and varies according to intra prediction modes. The orderof the raster scan is an order to move sequentially from the left edgeto the right edge in each picture for each row from the top edge to thebottom edge.

The intra prediction image generator 310 performs the prediction in theprediction mode indicated by the intra prediction mode IntraPredModebased on the read out neighboring PU to generate the prediction image ofthe PU. The intra prediction image generator 310 outputs the generatedprediction image of the PU to the addition unit 312.

In a case that the intra prediction parameter decoder 304 derives theintra prediction mode different in luminance and chrominance, the intraprediction image generator 310 generates a luminance prediction image ofthe PU by any of the planar prediction (0), the DC prediction (1), andthe Angular directional predictions (2 to 66) in accordance with theluminance prediction mode IntraPredModeY, and generates a chrominanceprediction image of the PU by any of the planar prediction (0), the DCprediction (1), the Angular predictions (2 to 66), and the LM mode (67to 72) in accordance with the chrominance prediction modeIntraPredModeC.

In the Planar prediction, DC prediction, and Angular prediction, adecoded peripheral region neighboring to (proximate to) the predictiontarget block is configured as the reference region R. Schematically,these prediction modes are prediction schemes for generating aprediction image by extrapolating pixels on the reference region R in aparticular direction. For example, the reference region R may beconfigured as a reverse L-shaped region (for example, regions indicatedby pixels of hashed circles in FIG. 38 ) including a left and top (oreven upper left, upper right, lower left) portion of the predictiontarget block.

Details of Prediction Image Generator

Next, a configuration of the intra prediction image generator 310 willbe described in detail using FIG. 39 .

As illustrated in FIG. 39 , the intra prediction image generator 310includes a prediction target block configuration unit 3101, anunfiltered reference image configuration unit 3102 (first referenceimage configuration unit), a filtered reference image configuration unit3103 (second reference image configuration unit), a predictor 3104, anda prediction image correction unit 3105 (prediction image correctionunit, filter switching unit, weight coefficient changing unit).

The filtered reference image configuration unit 3103 applies a referencepixel filter (first filter) to reference pixels (unfiltered referenceimage) on the input reference region R to generate a filtered referenceimage and output the generated filtered reference image to the predictor3104. The predictor 3104 generates a temporary prediction image(pre-correction prediction image) of the prediction target block, basedon the input intra prediction mode, the unfiltered reference image, andthe filtered reference image, and outputs the generated image to theprediction image correction unit 3105. The prediction image correctionunit 3105 corrects the temporary prediction image in accordance with theinput intra prediction mode, and generates a prediction image (correctedprediction image). The prediction image generated by the predictionimage correction unit 3105 is output to an adder 15.

Hereinafter, the components included in the intra prediction imagegenerator 310 will be described.

Prediction Target Block Configuration Unit 3101

The prediction target block configuration unit 3101 configures thetarget CU in the prediction target block, and outputs information on theprediction target block (prediction target block information). Theprediction target block information includes at least a predictiontarget block size, a prediction target block position, and an indexindicating whether the prediction target block is a luminance or achrominance.

Unfiltered Reference Image Configuration Unit 3102

The unfiltered reference image configuration unit 3102 configures aperipheral region neighboring to the prediction target block as thereference region R, based on the prediction target block size and theprediction target block position in the prediction target blockinformation. Subsequently, each pixel value in the reference region R(the unfiltered reference image, the boundary pixels) is set with eachdecoded pixel value at the corresponding location on the referencepicture memory 306. In other words, the unfiltered reference imager[x][y] is configured by the following expression using the decodedpixel value u[px][py] of the target picture expressed with reference tothe upper left coordinates of the target picture.r[x][y]=u[xB+x][yB+y]x=−1,y=−1 . . . (BS*2−1) and x=0 . . . (BS*2−1),y=−1  (INTRAP-1)

where, (xB, yB) represent the upper left coordinates of the predictiontarget block, and BS represents a value of the larger one of the width Wand height H of the prediction target block.

In the above expressions, as illustrated in FIG. 38(a), a line r[x][−1]of the decoded pixels neighboring an upper side of the prediction targetblock and a column r[−1][y] of the decoding pixels neighboring a leftside of the prediction target block are unfiltered reference images.Note that, in a case that a decoded pixel value corresponding to areference pixel position is not present or is not referable, apredetermined value (for example, 1<<(bitDepth−1) in a case that a pixelbit depth is bitDepth) may be configured as an unfiltered referenceimage, or a referable decoded pixel value that is present neighboring tothe corresponding decoded pixel value may be configured as an unfilteredreference image. In addition, “y=−1 . . . (BS*2−1)” indicates that y maytake (BS*2+1) values from −1 to (BS*2−1), and “x=0 . . . (BS*2−1)”indicates that x may take (BS*2) values from 0 to (BS*2−1).

In the above expression, as described later with reference to FIG.38(a), the decoded image included in the row of decoded pixelsneighboring to the predicted block upper side and the decoded imageincluded in the column of decoded pixels neighboring to the predictedblock left side are unfiltered reference images.

Filtered Reference Image Configuration Unit 3103

The filtered reference image configuration unit 3103 applies (gives) areference pixel filter (first filter) to the input unfiltered referenceimage in accordance with the intra prediction mode to derive and outputa filtered reference image s[x][y] at each position (x, y) on thereference region R. Specifically, a low-pass filter is applied to theunfiltered reference image at and around the position (x, y) to derive afiltered reference image. Note that the low pass filter need notnecessarily be applied to the total intra prediction mode, and thelow-pass filter may be applied to at least some intra prediction modes.Note that, the filter that is applied to the unfiltered reference imageon the reference region R by the filtered reference image configurationunit 3103 before the input to the predictor 3104 in FIG. 39 is referredto as the “reference pixel filter (first filter)”, whereas a filter thatcorrects the temporary prediction image by the prediction imagecorrection unit 3105 described later is referred to as a “boundaryfilter (second filter)”, the temporary prediction image being derived bythe predictor 3104 by using the unfiltered reference pixel value.

For example, as in an HEVC intra prediction, in the case of the DCprediction or in the case that the prediction target block size is 4×4pixels, the unfiltered reference image may be used directly as afiltered reference image. Whether to apply the low pass filter may beswitched by way of the flag decoded from the coded data. Note that inthe case that the intra prediction mode is the LM prediction, thepredictor 3104 does not directly refer to the unfiltered referenceimage, and thus, the filtered reference pixel value s[x][y] may not beoutput from the filtered reference image configuration unit 3103.

Configuration of Intra predictor 3104

The intra predictor 3104 generates the temporary prediction image(temporary prediction pixel values, pre-correction prediction image) ofthe prediction target block based on the intra prediction mode, theunfiltered reference image, and the filtered reference pixel value, andoutputs the generated image to the prediction image correction unit3105. The predictor 3104 includes therein a Planar predictor 31041, a DCpredictor 31042, an Angular predictor 31043, and a LM predictor 31044.The predictor 3104 selects a specific predictor in accordance with theinput intra prediction mode to input the unfiltered reference image andthe filtered reference image. A relationship between the intraprediction mode and the corresponding predictor is as follows.

-   -   Planar prediction—Planar predictor 31041    -   DC prediction—DC predictor 31042    -   Angular prediction—Angular predictor 31043    -   LM prediction—LM predictor 31044

The predictor 3104, in an intra prediction mode, generates a predictionimage of the prediction target block (temporary prediction imageq[x][y]), based on the filtered reference image. In other intraprediction modes, the unfiltered reference image may be used to generatethe temporary prediction image q[x][y]. The reference pixel filter maybe turned on in the case of using the filtered reference image, and thereference pixel filter may be turned off in the case of using theunfiltered reference image.

Hereinafter, an example will be described in which the unfilteredreference image r[ ][ ] is used to generate the temporary predictionimage q[x][y] in the case of the LM prediction, and the filteredreference image s[ ][ ] is used to generate the temporary predictionimage q[x][y] in the case of the Planar prediction, the DC prediction,and the Angular prediction, but the selection of the unfilteredreference image and the filtered reference image is not limited to thisexample. For example, whether to use the unfiltered reference image orthe filtered reference image may be switched depending on a flag that isexplicitly decoded from the encoded data, or may be switched based on aflag derived from another coding parameter. For example, in the case ofthe Angular prediction, in a case that a difference between the intraprediction mode number of the prediction target block and the intraprediction mode number of the vertical prediction or the horizontalprediction is small, the unfiltered reference image may be used (thereference pixel filter may be turned off), otherwise the filteredreference image may be used (the reference pixel filter may be turnedon).

Planar Prediction

The Planar predictor 31041 linearly adds multiple filtered referenceimages in accordance with a distance between the prediction target pixelposition and the reference pixel position to generates a temporaryprediction image, and outputs the generated image to the predictionimage correction unit 3105. For example, the pixel value q[x][y] of thetemporary prediction image is derived from the following expressionusing the filtered reference pixel value s[x][y] and the width W andheight H of the prediction target block described above.Q[x][y]=((W−1−x)*s[−1][y]+(x+1)*s[W][−1]+(H−1−y)*s[x][−1]+(y+1)*s[−1][H]+max(W,H))>>(k+1)  (INTRAP-2)where, it is defined as x=0 . . . W−1, y=0>>H−1, and k=log 2(max(W, H)).DC Prediction

The DC predictor 31042 derives an DC prediction value corresponding toan average value of the filtered reference image s[x][y] to be input,and outputs a temporary prediction image q[x][y] having a pixel value ofthe derived DC prediction value.

Angular Prediction

The Angular predictor 31043 generates the temporary prediction imageq[x][y] using the filtered reference image s[x][y] in the predictiondirection (reference direction) indicated by the intra prediction mode,and outputs the generated image to the prediction image correction unit3105. In the Angular prediction, the reference region R neighboring tothe top or left of the prediction target block is configured as a mainreference region R in accordance with a value of a main direction flagbRefVer, and a filtered reference image on the main reference region Ris set to a main reference image. The temporary prediction image isgenerated by referring to the main reference image in units of rows orcolumns within the prediction target block. In a case that the value ofthe main direction flag bRefVer is 1 (a main direction is the verticaldirection), a generation unit of the temporary prediction image isconfigured as a row, and the reference region R on the upper side of theprediction target block is set as the main reference region R. The mainreference image refMain[x] is set by the following expression using thefiltered reference image s[x][y].refMain[x]=s[−1+x][−1]x=0 . . . 2*nSrefMain[x]=s[−1][−1+((x*invAngle+128)>>8)]x=−nS . . . −1  (INTRAP-3)

where, invAngle corresponds to a value obtained by scaling an inverse ofa slope intraPredAngle determined depending on distances in thevertical/horizontal directions between the prediction target pixelposition and the main reference region R, and the prediction direction.According to the above expressions, in a range where x is 0 or greater,a filtered reference image on the reference region R neighboring to theupper side of the prediction target block is set in refMain[x]. In arange where x is less than 0, a filtered reference image on thereference region R neighboring to the left side of the prediction targetblock is set in refMain[x] based on the prediction direction. Thetemporary prediction image q[x][y] is calculated by the followingexpression.q[x][y]=((32−iFact)*refMain[x+iIdx+1]+iFact*refMain[x+iIdx+2]+16)>>5  (INTRAP-4)

where, iIdx and iFact represent pixel positions in the main referenceregion R used to generate the target prediction pixel value calculatedbased on the distance (y+1) between the prediction target pixel positionand the main reference region R in the vertical direction, and the slopeintraPredAngle. iIdx represents a pixel position with an integerprecision and iFact represents a pixel position with a decimalprecision, which are derived with the following expression.iIdx=((y+1)*intraPredAngle)>>5iFact=((y+1)*intraPredAngle)& 31  (INTRAP-5)

In a case that the value of the main direction flag bRefVer is 0 (a maindirection is the horizontal direction), the generation unit of thetemporary prediction image is configured as a column, and the referenceregion R on the left side of the prediction target block is set as themain reference region R. The main reference image refMain[x] is set bythe following expression using the filtered reference pixel values[x][y].refMain[x]=s[−1][−1+x]x=0 . . . nSrefMain[x]=s[−1+((x*invAngle+128)>>8)][−1]x=−nS . . . −1  (INTRAP-6)

The temporary prediction image q[x][y] is calculated by the followingexpression.q[x][y]=((32−iFact)*refMain[y+iIdx+1]+iFact*refMain[y+iIdx+2]+16)>>5  (INTRAP-7)

where, iIdx and iFact represent pixel positions in the main referenceregion R used to generate the prediction target pixel value calculatedbased on the distance (x+1) between the prediction target pixel positionand the main reference region R in the horizontal direction, and theslope intraPredAngle. iIdx represents a pixel position with an integerprecision and iFact represents a pixel position with a small accuracy,which are derived with the following expression.iIdx=((x+1)*intraPredAngle)>>5iFact=((x+1)*intraPredAngle)& 31  (INTRAP-8)LM Prediction

The LM predictor 31044 predicts a pixel value of a chrominance, based ona pixel value of a luminance.

The CCLM prediction process will be described with reference to FIG. 40. FIG. 40 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which the decodingprocess on the luminance component has ended and the prediction processon the chrominance component is being performed in the target block.FIG. 40(a) illustrates a decoded image uL[ ][ ] of a luminance componentof a target block, and FIGS. 40(c) and 40(d) illustrate temporaryprediction images qCb[ ][ ] and qCr[ ][ ] of Cb and Cr components,respectively. In FIGS. 40(a), 40(c) and 40(d), regions rL[ ][ ], rCb[ ][], and rCr[ ] outside the respective target blocks are unfilteredreference images neighboring to the respective target blocks. FIG. 40(b)is a diagram in which the target block of the luminance component andthe unfiltered reference images illustrated in FIG. 40(a) aredownsampled, and duL[ ][ ] and drL[ ] are a decoded image of theluminance component and the unfiltered reference images, respectively,after downsampling. Next, a downsampling filter used to generate FIG.40(b) from FIG. 40(a) is illustrated in FIG. 40(e). FIG. 40 (e-1) is afixed sampling filter (default sampling filter) and FIGS. 40 (e-2) to40(e-5) are four kinds of additional sampling filters. For example,expressions for calculating one pixel of dA or dB in FIG. 40(b) fromfour pixels of A or B in FIG. 40(a) are described below.

In a case of the default sampling filter (FIG. 40 (e-1)):duL[x][y]=(uL[2x−1][2y]+2*uL[2x][2y]+uL[2x+1][2y]+uL[2x−1][2y+1]+2*uL[2x][2y+1]+uL[2x+1][2y+1]+4)>>3drL[x][y]=(rL[2x−1][2y]+2*rL[2x][2y]+rL[2x+1][2y]+rL[2x−1][2y+1]+2*rL[2x][2y+1]+rL[2x+1][2y+1]+4)>>3  (ExpressionCCLM-1)

In a case of the additional sampling filter:

-   -   Filter index 1 (FIG. 40 (e-2))        duL[x][y]=(uL[2x][2y]+uL[2x+1][2y]+1)>>1        drL[x][y]=(rL[2x][2y]+rL[2x+1][2y]+1)>>1  (Expression CCLM-2)    -   Filter index 2 (FIG. 40 (e-3))        duL[x][y]=(uL[2x+1][2y]+uL[2x+1][2y+1]+1)>>1        drL[x][y]=(rL[2x+1][2y]+rL[2x+1][2y+1]+1)>>1    -   Filter index 3 (FIG. 40 (e-4))        duL[x][y]=(uL[2x][2y+1]+uL[2x+1][2y+1]+1)>>1        drL[x][y]=(rL[2x][2y+1]+rL[2x+1][2y+1]+1)>>1    -   Filter index 4 (FIG. 40 (e-5))        duL[x][y]=(uL[2x][2y]+uL[2x+1][2y]+uL[2x][2y+1]+uL[2x+1][2y+1]+2)>>2        drL[x][y]=(rL[2x][2y]+rL[2x+1][2y]+rL[2x][2y+1]+rL[2x+1][2y+1]+2)>>2

Here, (2x, 2y) is replaced with the upper left coordinates of A and B inFIG. 40(a), and (x, y) is replaced with the upper left coordinates of dAand dB in FIG. 40(b).

The temporary prediction images of Cb and Cr components are generatedfrom the luminance images duL[ ][ ] and drL[ ][ ] downsampled by use ofany of these filters above.

FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration ofthe LM predictor 31044 included in the intra prediction image generator310. As illustrated in FIG. 41(a), the LM predictor 31044 includes aCCLM predictor 4101 and a MMLM predictor 4102.

The CCLM predictor 4101 downsamples the luminance image using any of thefilters described above in the case that the chrominance format is4:2:0, and calculates the decoded image duL[ ][ ] of the downsampledluminance component in FIG. 40(b) and the unfiltered reference imagedrL[ ][ ].

Next, the CCLM predictor 4101 derives the parameters (CCLM parameters)(a, b) of the linear model from the unfiltered reference image drL[ ][ ]of the downsampled luminance component, and the unfiltered referenceimages rCb[ ][ ] and rCr[ ][ ] of the Cb and Cr components.Specifically, a linear model (aC, bC) is calculated that minimizes asquare error SSD between the unfiltered reference image drL[ ][ ] of theluminance component and the unfiltered reference image rC[ ][ ] of thechrominance component.SSD=ΣΣ(rC[x][y]−(aC*drL[x][y]+bC))  (Expression CCLM-3)

where ΣΣ is the sum for x and y. In the case of the Cb component, rC[ ][] is rCb[ ][ ] and (aC, bC) is (aCb, bCb), and in the case of the Crcomponent, rC[ ][ ] is rCr[ ][ ] and (aC, bC) is (aCr, bCr).

In order to utilize correlation between prediction errors of the Cbcomponent and the Cr component, a linear model aResi is calculated thatminimizes a square error SSD between the unfiltered reference image rCb[][ ] of the Cb component and the unfiltered reference image rCr[ ][ ] ofthe Cr component.SSD=ΣΣ(rCr[x][y]−(aResi*rCb[x][y])  (Expression CCLM-4)

where ΣΣ is the sum for x and y. These CCLM parameters are used togenerate the temporary prediction images qCb[ ][ ] and qCr[ ][ ] of thechrominance component using the following expressions.qCb[x][y]=aCb*duL[x][y]+bCbqCr[x][y]=aCr*duL[x][y]+aResi*ResiCb[x][y]+bCr  (Expression CCLM-5)

where, ResiCb[ ][ ] is a prediction error of the Cb component.

The MMLM predictor 4102 is used in a case that the relationship betweenthe unfiltered reference images of the luminance component and thechrominance component is categorized into two or more linear models. Ina case that there are multiple regions in the target block, such as aforeground and a background, the linear model between the luminancecomponent and the chrominance component is different for each region. Insuch a case, multiple linear models may be used to generate a temporaryprediction image of the chrominance component from the decoded image ofthe luminance component. For example, in a case of two linear models,the pixel values of the unfiltered reference images of the luminancecomponents are divided into two at a certain threshold th_mmlm, and alinear model is calculated that minimizes the square error SSD betweenthe unfiltered reference image drL[ ][ ] of the luminance component andthe unfiltered reference image rC [ ][ ] of the chrominance componentfor a category 1 in which the pixel value is equal to or smaller thanthe threshold th_mmlm and a category 2 in which the pixel value isgreater than the threshold th_mmlm.SSD1=ΣΣ(rC[x][y]−(a1C*drL[x][y]+b1))(if drL[x][y]<=th_mmlm)SSD2=ΣΣ(rC[x][y]−(a2C*drL[x][y]+b2))(if drL[x][y]>th_mmlm)  (ExpressionCCLM-6)

where, ΣΣ is a sum for x and y, in the case of the Cb component, rC[ ][] is rCb[ ][ ] and (a1C, b1C) is (a1Cb, b1Cb), and in the case of the Crcomponent, rC[ ][ ] is rCr[ ][ ] and (a1C, b1C) is (a1Cr, b1Cr).

The threshold th_mmlm may be an average of the unfiltered referenceimage drL[x][y] of the luminance component.th_mmlm=(ΣΣdrL[x][y]+(W+H)/4)/(W/2+H/2)  (Expression CCLM-7)

Alternatively, the threshold th_mmlm may be an average of the decodedimage duL[x][y] of the luminance component.th_mmlm=(ΣΣduL[x][y]+(W*H)/8)/(W*H/4)  (Expression CCLM-8)

where, W and H represent the width and height of the target block,respectively.

Since the MMLM has a fewer number of samples of the unfiltered referenceimage available for derivation of each linear model than the CCLM, theMMLM may not properly operate in a case that the target block size issmall or the number of samples is small. Thus, as illustrated in FIG.41(b), a switching unit 4103 is provided in the LM predictor 31044, andin a case that any of conditions described below is satisfied, the MMLMis turned off and the CCLM prediction is performed.

-   -   The target block size is equal to or smaller than TH_MMLMB        (TH_MMLMB is 8×8, for example)    -   The number of samples of the unfiltered reference image rCb[ ][        ] of the target block is smaller than TH_MMLMR (TH_MMLMR is 4,        for example)    -   No unfiltered reference image of the target block is on both the        upper side and the left side of the target block

These conditions can be determined by the size and position informationof the target block, and thus, the signaling of the flag indicatingwhether or not the CCLM is used may be omitted.

In a case that the threshold th_mmlm is configured as the average of theunfiltered reference image drL[x][y] of the luminance component, in casethat the decoded image duL[ ][ ] of the luminance component isconcentrated on one side of th_mmlm, for example, in a case that ⅞pixels of duL[ ][ ] is concentrated in one category, the MMLM is turnedoff. In this case, the flag indicating whether or not the CCLM is usedmay be signaled to notify that the MMLM is turned off (CCLM isselected).

In a case that a part of the unfiltered reference image is outside thetile, the MMLM is less likely to be selected. Thus, in the case that aportion of the unfiltered reference image is outside the tile, thedefault sampling filter may be used in downsampling without informinginformation required for downsampling so that a required amount of codesis reduced and the MMLM is likely to be selected.

In the case that a portion of the unfiltered reference image is outsidethe tile, the LM prediction may be turned off. In the blocks for whichthe intra prediction is used, the flag indicating whether or not theCCLM prediction is used is signaled in the first area of the intraprediction information of the chrominance component, and thus, theamount of codes can be reduced by not signaling the flag. That is, theon-off control of the CCLM is performed at the tile boundary.

Typically, in a case that the chrominance component of the target blockhas a higher correlation with the luminance component in the targetblock at the same position as itself than the same chrominance componentas itself in the neighboring block, the LM prediction is applied in theintra prediction, a more accurate prediction image is generated, and thecoding efficiency is increased by reducing the prediction residuals. Asdescribed above, by reducing the information required for the LMprediction and making the LM prediction more likely to be selected, evenin a case that the reference image neighboring to the target block isoutside the tile, a decrease in the coding efficiency can be suppressedwhile independently intra-predicting the tile.

Note that since the LM prediction generates the temporary predictionimage by using the unfiltered reference image, the temporary predictionimage by the LM prediction is not subjected to the correction process inthe prediction image correction unit 3105.

Note that the configuration described above is an example of thepredictor 3104, and the configuration of the predictor 3104 is notlimited to the above configuration.

Configuration of Prediction Image Correction Unit 3105

The prediction image correction unit 3105 corrects the temporaryprediction image that is the output of the predictor 3104 in accordancewith the intra prediction mode. Specifically, the prediction imagecorrection unit 3105 weighted-adds (weighted-averages), for each pixelof the temporary prediction image, the unfiltered reference image andthe predicted prediction image in accordance with the distance betweenthe reference region R and the target prediction pixel to output aprediction image (corrected prediction image) Pred that is a correctedtemporary prediction image. Note that in some intra prediction modes,the prediction image correction unit 3105 may not necessarily correctthe temporary prediction image, and the output of the predictor 3104 asit is may be used as the prediction image. Additionally, the output ofthe predictor 3104 (the temporary prediction image, the pre-correctionprediction image) and the output of the prediction image correction unit3105 (the prediction image, the corrected prediction image) may beconfigured to be switched to each other in accordance with a flagexplicitly derived from the coded data or a flag derived from the codingparameter.

A process for deriving the prediction pixel value Pred[x][y] at theposition (x, y) within the prediction target block using the boundaryfilter in the prediction image correction unit 3105 will be describedwith reference to FIG. 42 . FIG. 42(a) is a derivation expression forthe prediction image Pred[x][y]. The prediction image Pred[x][y] isderived by weighted-adding (weighted-averaging) the temporary predictionimage q[x][y] and the unfiltered reference image (for example, r[x][−1],r[−1][y], r[−1][−1]). The boundary filter is a weighted-addition of theunfiltered reference image of the reference region R and the temporaryprediction image. Here, rshift represents a predetermined positiveinteger value corresponding to an adjustment term for expressing adistance weight k[ ] as an integer, and is referred to as anormalization adjustment term. For example, rshift=4 to 10 is used. Forexample, rshift=6.

A weight coefficient for the unfiltered reference image is derived byright shifting a reference intensity coefficient C=(c1v, c1h, c2v, c2h)predetermined for each prediction direction by a distance weight k (k[x]or k[y]) that depends on the distance (x or y) to the reference regionR. More specifically, as a weight coefficient (first weight coefficientw1v) for the unfiltered reference image r[x][−1] on the upper side ofthe prediction target block, the reference intensity coefficient c1v isright shifted by the distance weight k[y] (vertical distance weight). Asa weight coefficient (second weight coefficient w1h) for the unfilteredreference image r[−1][y] on the left side of the prediction targetblock, the reference intensity coefficient c1h is right shifted by thedistance weight k[x] (horizontal distance weight). Additionally, as aweight coefficient (third weight coefficient w2) for the unfilteredreference image r[−1][−1] in the upper left of the prediction targetblock, a sum of the reference intensity coefficient c2v being rightshifted by the distance weight k[y] and the reference intensitycoefficient c2h being right shifted by the distance weight k[x] is used.

FIG. 42(b) is a derivation expression for a weight coefficient b[x][y]for the temporary prediction pixel value q[x][y]. The weight coefficientb[x][y] is derived so that the sum of the products of the weightcoefficient and the reference intensity coefficient matches (1<<rshift).This value is configured intending to normalize the product of theweight coefficient and the reference intensity coefficient taking theright shift operation of rshift in FIG. 42(a) into consideration.

FIG. 42(c) is a derivation expression for the distance weight k[x]. Thedistance weight k[x] is set with a value floor(x/dx) that monotonicallyincreases in accordance with the horizontal distance x between thetarget prediction pixel and the reference region R. Here, dx representsa predetermined parameter according to the size of the prediction targetblock.

FIGS. 42(d) and 42(e) illustrate an example of dx. In FIG. 42(d), dx=1is set in a case that the width W of the prediction target block is 16or less, and dx=2 is set in a case that W is greater than 16. In FIG.42(e), dx=¼, ½, or 1 is set in a case that the width W of the predictiontarget block is 4, 8, or 16, and dx=2 is set in a case that W is greaterthan 16. In FIG. 42(e), the small size block is designed to be morequickly unaffected by the unfiltered reference image as farther awayfrom the block boundary.

Also for the distance weight k[y], the definition can be utilized inwhich the horizontal distance x is replaced with the vertical distance yat the distance weight k[x] described above. The values of the distanceweights k[x] and k[y] become smaller as the values of x and y arelarger, respectively.

According to the method for deriving the target prediction image usingthe above expressions in FIG. 42 , the larger the reference distance (x,y) which is the distance between the target prediction pixel and thereference region R is, the larger the values of the distance weights(k[x], k[y]) become. Thus, the value of the weight coefficient for theunfiltered reference image resulting from the right shifting thepredefined reference intensity coefficient by the distance weight is asmall value. Therefore, the closer to the reference region R theposition within the prediction target block is, the larger the weight ofthe unfiltered reference image become for the prediction image beingderived by correcting the temporary prediction image. In general, thecloser to the reference region R the position is, the more likely theunfiltered reference image becomes to be suitable as an estimate of thetarget prediction block as compared to the temporary prediction image.Therefore, the prediction image derived by the expressions in FIG. 42has a higher prediction accuracy compared to the case that the temporaryprediction image is used as the prediction image. In addition, accordingto the expressions in FIG. 42 , the weight coefficient using theunfiltered reference image can be derived by multiplying the referenceintensity coefficient by the distance weight. Therefore, by calculatingthe distance weight in advance for each reference distance and holdingit in a table, a weight coefficient can be derived without using a rightshift operation or a division.

Note that the reference distance is defined as the distance between theprediction target pixel and the reference region R, and examples of thereference distance include the pixel positions (x, y) within theprediction target block, but other variables representing the distancebetween the prediction target image and the reference region R may beused as the reference distance. For example, the distance between theprediction target pixel and the pixel on the closest reference region Rmay be defined as the reference distance. The distance between theprediction target pixel and the pixel on the reference region Rneighboring to the upper left position of the prediction target blockmay be defined as the reference distance. Also, in a case that thereference distance is defined by a distance between two pixels, thedistance may be a distance in a broad sense. The broad distance d (a, b)in a broad sense meets each property of non-negativity d(a, b)≥0,symmetry d(a, b)=d(b, a), and triangle inequality d(a, b)+d(b, c)≥d(a,c) for any three points a, b, c∈X. Note that in the followingdescription, the reference distance is represented by the referencedistance x, but x is not limited to the horizontal distance, and can beapplied to any reference distance. For example, in a case that acalculation expression for the distance weight k[x] is illustrated, theexpression can also be applied to the distance weight k[y] calculatedusing the vertical reference distance y as a parameter.

Hereinafter, an operation of the prediction image correction unit 3105will be described with reference to FIG. 43 . FIG. 43 is a flowchartillustrating an example of the operation of the prediction imagecorrection unit 3105.

(S4301) The prediction image correction unit 3105 derives the distanceweight k[x] in the x direction and the distance weight k[y] in the ydirection in accordance with the distance (x or y) between theprediction target pixel (x, y) and the reference region R, respectively.

(S4302) The prediction image correction unit 3105 multiplies eachreference intensity coefficient by each distance weight derived at S4301to derive the following weight coefficients.First weight coefficient w1v=c1v>>k[y]Second weight coefficient w1h=c1h>>k[x]Third weight coefficient w2=(c2v>>k[y])+(c2h>>k[x])

(S4303) The prediction image correction unit 3105 calculates a productof each weight coefficient (w1v, w1h, w2) derived at S4302 and thecorresponding unfiltered reference pixel value (r[x][−1], r[−1][y],r[−1][−1]).Product of r[x][−1] and w1v,m1=w1v*r[x][−1]Product of r[−1][y] and w1h,m2=w1h*r[−1][y]Product of r[−1][−1] and w2,m3=w2*r[−1][−1]

(S4304) The prediction image correction unit 3105 derives a weightcoefficient b[x][y] from the following expression so that the total sumof the first weight coefficient w1v, the second weight coefficient w1h,the third weight coefficient w2, and the weight coefficient b[x][y] is(1<<rshift) for the prediction target pixel (x, y).b[x][y]=(1<<rshift)−w1v−w1h+w2

(S4305) The prediction image correction unit 3105 calculates the productm4 of the temporary prediction image q[x][y] and the weight coefficientb[x][y].m4=b[x][y]*q[x][y]

(S4306) The prediction image correction unit 3105 derives a total sum ofthe products m1, m2, and m3 derived at S4304, and m4 derived at S4305,and a rounding adjustment term (1<<(rshift−1)) from the followingexpression.sum=m1+m2−m3+m4+(1<<(rshift−1)

(S4307) The prediction image correction unit 3105 derives the predictionimage (corrected prediction image) Pred[x][y] by performing right shiftoperation on the addition value sum derived at S4306 with thenormalization adjustment term rshift as described below.Pred[x][y]=sum>>rshift

Note that the rounding adjustment term (1<<(rshift−1)) is preferable,but is not limited thereto. For example, the rounding adjustment termmay be 0 or other predetermined constants.

Note that the reference intensity coefficient C (c1v, c2v, c1h, c2h) maybe different for each prediction direction.

The prediction image correction unit 3105 generates the prediction image(corrected prediction image) Pred[ ][ ] within the prediction targetblock by repeating the process indicated in S4301 to S4307 for all ofthe pixels within the prediction target block. Note that the operationof the prediction image correction unit 3105 is not limited to theabove-described steps, and can be changed in a performable range.

Examples of Filter Mode and Reference Intensity Coefficient C

The reference intensity coefficient C (c1v, c2v, c1h, c2h) of theprediction image correction unit 3105 (boundary filter) is dependent onthe intra prediction mode IntraPredMode, and is derived by referring toa table ktable corresponding to the intra prediction mode. An example ofa reference intensity coefficient table is illustrated in FIG. 44 .

Flow of Prediction Image Generation Process

Next, an overview of the prediction image generation process in units ofblock (or CU or PU) in the intra prediction image generator 310 will bedescribed with reference to a flowchart in FIG. 45 .

(S4501) The prediction target block configuration unit 3101 configuresthe prediction target block and outputs the prediction target blockinformation to the unfiltered reference image configuration unit 3102.

(S4502) The unfiltered reference image configuration unit 3102 sets thedecoded pixel value read from the reference picture memory to theunfiltered reference image and outputs the unfiltered reference image tothe filtered reference image configuration unit 3103 and the predictionimage correction unit 3105.

(S4503) The filtered reference image configuration unit 3103 applies thereference pixel filter to the unfiltered reference image set at S4502 toderive a filtered reference image and output the derived image to thepredictor 3104.

(S4504) The predictor 3104 generates and outputs a temporary predictionimage of the prediction target block from the intra prediction mode andthe filtered reference image derived at S4503.

(S4505) The prediction image correction unit 3105 corrects the temporaryprediction image derived at S4504, based on the intra prediction modeand the unfiltered reference image set at S4502 to generate and outputthe prediction image Pred (corrected prediction image).

In the above-described configuration, the reference intensitycoefficient C (c1v, c2v, c1h, c2h) of the prediction image correctionunit 3105 (boundary filter) is dependent on the intra prediction modeIntraPredMode, and is derived by referring to the table based on theintra prediction mode. The reference intensity coefficient C of theboundary filter may be used not only as weight coefficients for thenearest upper pixel r[x][−1], the nearest left pixel r[−1][y], and thenearest upper left pixel r[−1][−1] of the prediction target pixel (x,y), but also as weight coefficients for the nearest right pixel and thenearest left lower pixel, for example.

Note that the unfiltered reference image r[−1][−1] is necessary for thecorrection process of the prediction image, but in a case that theprediction target block shares the border with the tile boundary, aconfiguration of the following tile boundary boundary filterconfiguration is used because r[−1][−1] cannot be referred to.

Tile Boundary Boundary Filter

As illustrated in FIG. 46 , the intra prediction image generator 310uses pixels in a position that can be referred to instead of the upperleft boundary pixel r[−1][−1], in a case that the prediction targetblock shares the border with the tile boundary, to apply a boundaryfilter.

FIG. 46(a) is a diagram illustrating a process for deriving theprediction pixel value Pred[x][y] at the position (x, y) within theprediction target block using the boundary filter in a case that theprediction target block shares the border with the boundary on the leftside of the tile. The blocks neighboring to the left side of theprediction target block are outside the tile and cannot be referred to,but the pixels of the block neighboring to the upper side of theprediction target block can be referred to. Thus, the near upper lefton-boundary pixel r[0][−1] is referred to, instead of the upper leftboundary pixel r[−1][−1], and the boundary filter illustrated in FIG.47(a) is applied instead of that in FIGS. 42(a) and 42(b) to derive theprediction pixel value Pred[x][y]. That is, the intra prediction imagegenerator 310 derives the prediction image Pred[x][y] by calculationreferring to the temporary prediction pixel q[x][y], the upper boundarypixel r[x][−1], and the near upper left on-boundary pixel r[0][−1] andweighted-adding (weighted-averaging).

Alternatively, the near upper right on-boundary pixel r[W−1][−1] isreferred to, instead of the upper left boundary pixel r[−1][−1], and theboundary filter illustrated in FIG. 47(b) is applied instead of that inFIGS. 42(a) and 42(b) to derive the prediction pixel value Pred[x][y].Here, W is the width of the prediction target block. That is, the intraprediction image generator 310 derives the prediction pixel valuePred[x][y] by calculation referring to the temporary prediction pixelq[x][y], the upper boundary pixel r[x][−1], and the near upper righton-boundary pixel r[W−1][−1] and weighted-adding (weighted-averaging).

FIG. 46(b) is a diagram illustrating a process for deriving theprediction pixel value Pred[x][y] at the position (x, y) within theprediction target block using the boundary filter in a case that theprediction target block shares the border with the boundary on the upperside of the tile. The blocks neighboring to the upper side of theprediction target block are outside the tile and cannot be referred to,but the pixels of the block neighboring to the left side of theprediction target block can be referred to. Thus, the near upper leftleft-boundary pixel r[−1][0] is referred to, instead of the upper leftboundary pixel r[−1][−1], and the boundary filter illustrated in FIG.47(c) is applied instead of that in FIGS. 42(a) and 42(b) to derive theprediction pixel value Pred[x][y]. That is, the intra prediction imagegenerator 310 derives the prediction image Pred[x][y] by calculationreferring to the temporary prediction pixel q[x][y], the left boundarypixel r[−1][y], and the near upper left left-boundary pixel r[−1][0] andweighted-adding (weighted-averaging).

Alternatively, the near lower left left-boundary pixel r[−1][H−1] isreferred to, instead of the upper left boundary pixel r[−1][−1], and theboundary filter illustrated in FIG. 47(d) is applied instead of that inFIGS. 42(a) and 42(b) to derive the prediction pixel value Pred[x][y].Here, H is the height of the prediction target block. That is, the intraprediction image generator 310 derives the prediction image Pred[x][y]by calculation referring to the temporary prediction pixel q[x][y], theleft boundary pixel r[−1][y], and the near lower left left-boundarypixel r[−1][H−1] and weighted-adding (weighted-averaging).

By replacing the upper left boundary pixel r[−1][−1] with a referablepixel in this manner, even in a case that one of the left side or theupper side of the prediction target block shares the border with thetile boundary, the boundary filter can be applied while the tile isindependently intra-predicted, and the coding efficiency can beincreased.

Tile Boundary Boundary Filter 2

A configuration is described in which, in the unfiltered reference imageconfiguration unit 3102 of the intra prediction image generator 310, ina case that a unfiltered reference image not referable is present, anunfiltered reference image is generated from a referable reference imageto apply the boundary filter to the tile boundary. In thisconfiguration, a boundary pixel (unfiltered reference image) r[x][y] isderived in accordance with the process including the following steps.

Step 1: In a case that r[−1][H*2−1] is not referable, pixels from x=−1,y=H*2−1 to x=−1, y=−1 are sequentially scanned. In a case that areferable reference pixel r[−1][y] is found during the scanning, thescanning is ended and r[−1][y] is configured as r[−1][H*2−1].Subsequently, in a case that r[W*2−1][−1] is not referable, pixels fromx=W*2−1, y=−1 to x=0, y=−1 are sequentially scanned. In a case that areferable reference pixel r[x][−1] is found during the scanning, thescanning is ended and r[x][−1] is configured as r[W*2−1][−1].

Step 2: Pixels from x=−1, y=H*2−2 to x=−1, y=−1 are sequentiallyscanned, and in a case that r[−1][y] is not referable during thescanning, r[−1][y+1] is configured as r[−1][y].

Step 3: Pixels from x=0 . . . W*2−2, y=−1 to x=0, y=−1 are sequentiallyscanned, and in a case that r[x][−1] is not referable, r[x+1][−1] isconfigured as r[x][−1].

Note that, the case that the boundary pixel r[x][y] is not referable isa case that the reference pixel is not present in the same tile as thetarget pixel, a case that the reference pixel is not present in the sameslice as the target pixel, or a case that the reference pixel is outsidea picture boundary. The above process is also referred to as a boundarypixel substitution process (unfiltered image substitution process).

The inverse quantization and inverse transform processing unit 311dequantizes the quantized transform coefficients input from the entropydecoder 301 to find transform coefficients. The inverse quantization andinverse transform processing unit 311 performs inverse frequencytransform such as inverse DCT, inverse DST, and inverse KLT on the foundtransform coefficients to compute a prediction residual signal. Theinverse quantization and inverse transform processing unit 311 outputsthe computed residual signal to the addition unit 312.

The addition unit 312 adds the prediction image of the PU input from theinter prediction image generator 309 or intra prediction image generator310 and the residual signal input from the inverse quantization andinverse transform processing unit 311 for each pixel to generate adecoded image of the PU. The addition unit 312 outputs the decoded imageof the generated block to at least any one of the deblocking filter 313,the SAO (sample adaptive offset) unit 314, or the ALF 315.

Configuration of Inter Prediction Parameter Decoder

Next, a description is given of a configuration of the inter predictionparameter decoder 303.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of theinter prediction parameter decoder 303 according to the presentembodiment. The inter prediction parameter decoder 303 includes an interprediction parameter decoding control unit 3031, an AMVP predictionparameter deriver 3032, an addition unit 3035, a merge predictionparameter deriver 3036, and a sub-block prediction parameter deriver3037.

The inter prediction parameter decoding control unit 3031 instructs theentropy decoder 301 to decode the code (syntax element) associated withthe inter prediction to extract the code (syntax element) included inthe coded data, for example, the PU split mode part_mode, the merge flagmerge_flag, the merge index merge_idx, the inter prediction indicatorinter_pred_idc, the reference picture index ref_Idx_lX, the predictionvector index mvp_lX_idx, and the difference vector mvdLX.

The inter prediction parameter decoding control unit 3031 first extractsthe merge flag merge_flag. An expression that the inter predictionparameter decoding control unit 3031 “extracts a certain syntax element”means instructing the entropy decoder 301 to decode a certain syntaxelement to read the syntax element from the coded data.

In a case that the merge flag merge_flag is 0, that is, indicates theAMVP prediction mode, the inter prediction parameter decoding controlunit 3031 uses the entropy decoder 301 to extract the AMVP predictionparameter from the coded data. Examples of the AMVP prediction parameterinclude the inter prediction indicator inter_pred_idc, the referencepicture index refIdxLX, the prediction vector index mvp_lX_idx, and thedifference vector mvdLX. The AMVP prediction parameter deriver 3032derives the prediction vector mvpLX from the prediction vector indexmvp_lX_idx. Details will be described below. The inter predictionparameter decoding control unit 3031 outputs the difference vector mvdLXto the addition unit 3035. The addition unit 3035 adds the predictionvector mvpLX and the difference vector mvdLX to derive a motion vector.

In a case that the merge flag merge_flag is 1, that is, indicates themerge prediction mode, the inter prediction parameter decoding controlunit 3031 extracts the merge index merge_idx as a prediction parameterrelated to the merge prediction. The inter prediction parameter decodingcontrol unit 3031 outputs the extracted merge index merge_idx to themerge prediction parameter deriver 3036 (details of which are describedlater), and outputs a sub-block prediction mode flag subPbMotionFlag tothe sub-block prediction parameter deriver 3037. The sub-blockprediction parameter deriver 3037 splits the PU into multiple sub-blocksdepending on a value of the sub-block prediction mode flagsubPbMotionFlag to derive a motion vector in units of sub-block.Specifically, in the sub-block prediction mode, a prediction block ispredicted in units of block as small as 4×4 or 8×8. In the tile encoder2012 described later, for a method in which the CU is split intomultiple partitions (PU of 2N×N, N×2N, N×N, and the like) and a syntaxof the prediction parameter is coded in units of partition, multiplesub-blocks are brought together into one or more sets in the sub-blockprediction mode and the syntax of the prediction parameter is coded foreach of the sets, and therefore, motion information of many sub-blockscan be coded using a small amount of codes.

To be more specific, the sub-block prediction parameter deriver 3037includes at least one of a spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371,an affine predictor 30372, a matching motion deriver 30373, and an OBMCpredictor 30374 that perform sub-block prediction in the sub-blockprediction mode.

Sub-Block Prediction Mode Flag

Here, a method, in the tile decoder 2002 and the tile encoder 2012(details will be described later), for deriving the sub-block predictionmode flag subPbMotionFlag which indicates whether a prediction mode fora certain PU is the sub-block prediction mode will be described. Thetile decoder 2002 and the tile encoder 2012 derive the sub-blockprediction mode flag subPbMotionFlag, based on which of a spatialsub-block prediction SSUB, a temporal sub-block prediction TSUB, anaffine prediction AFFINE, and a matching motion derivation MAT describedlater is used. For example, in a case that a prediction mode selectedfor a certain PU is N (for example, N is a label indicating the selectedmerge candidate), the sub-block prediction mode flag subPbMotionFlag maybe derived by the following expression.subPbMotionFlag=(N==TSUB)∥(N==SSUB)∥(N==AFFINE)∥(N==MAT)

Here, ∥ represents a logical sum (this similarly applies below).

The tile decoder 2002 and the tile encoder 2012 may be configured toperform some of the spatial sub-block prediction SSUB, the temporalsub-block prediction TSUB, the affine prediction AFFINE, the matchingmotion derivation MAT, and the OBMC prediction OBMC. In other words, ina case that the tile decoder 2002 and the tile encoder 2012 areconfigured to perform the spatial sub-block prediction SSUB and theaffine prediction AFFINE, the sub-block prediction mode flagsubPbMotionFlag may be derived as described below.subPbMotionFlag=(N==SSUB)∥(N==AFFINE)

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the mergeprediction parameter deriver 3036 according to the present embodiment.The merge prediction parameter deriver 3036 includes a merge candidatederiver 30361, a merge candidate selection unit 30362, and a mergecandidate storage 30363. The merge candidate storage 30363 storestherein merge candidates input from the merge candidate deriver 30361.Note that the merge candidate includes the prediction list utilizationflag predFlagLX, the motion vector mvLX, and the reference picture indexrefIdxLX. The merge candidate stored in the merge candidate storage30363 is assigned with an index according to a prescribed rule.

The merge candidate deriver 30361 uses, without change, a motion vectorand reference picture index refIdxLX of a neighboring PU alreadysubjected to the decoding process to derive a merge candidate. Theaffine prediction may be used as another way to derive a mergecandidate. This method is described below in detail. The merge candidatederiver 30361 may use the affine prediction for spatial merge candidatederivation process, temporal merge candidate derivation process,combined merge candidate derivation process, and zero merge candidatederivation process which are described later. Note that the affineprediction is performed in units of sub-block, and the predictionparameter is stored in the prediction parameter memory 307 for eachsub-block. Alternatively, the affine prediction may be performed inunits of pixel.

Spatial Merge Candidate Derivation Process

In the spatial merge candidate derivation process, the merge candidatederiver 30361 reads out the prediction parameter (prediction listutilization flag predFlagLX, motion vector mvLX, reference picture indexrefIdxLX) stored in the prediction parameter memory 307 according to aprescribed rule, derives a merge candidate as the read out predictionparameter, and stores the merge candidate in a merge candidate listmergeCandList[ ] (prediction vector candidate list mvpListLX[ ]). Theread out prediction parameters are prediction parameters related to eachof the PUs in a predefined range from the decoding target PU (forexample, all or some of PUs adjoining lower left ends L and BL, upperleft end AL, and upper right ends A and AR of the decoding target PUillustrated in FIG. 21(b)).

Temporal Merge Candidate Derivation Process

In a temporal merge derivation process, the merge candidate deriver30361 reads out, in the reference picture illustrated in FIG. 21(c), theprediction parameter for a lower right (block BR) of the collocatedblock or a block (block C) including the coordinates of the center ofthe decoding target PU from the prediction parameter memory 307, andstores the read out prediction parameter as a merge candidate in themerge candidate list mergeCandList[ ]. The block BR, whose motion vectoris farther from a position of the block that is to be a spatial mergecandidate than a motion vector of the block C, is more likely to have amotion vector different from a motion vector of the spatial mergecandidate. Thus, the block BR is added to the merge candidate listmergeCandList[ ] on a priority basis, and in a case that the block BRdoes not have a motion vector (for example, an intra prediction block)or in a case that the block BR is located outside the picture, themotion vector for the block C is added to the prediction vectorcandidate. The addition of a different motion vector as a predictioncandidate increases the prediction vector option and increases thecoding efficiency. As a method of specifying the reference picture, thereference picture index refIdxLX specified in the slice header may beused, or a minimum one of the reference picture indices refIdxLX of thePUs neighboring to the decoding target PU may be used to indicate thereference picture, for example.

For example, the merge candidate deriver 30361 may derive the positionof the block C (xColCtr, yColCtr) and the position of the block BR(xColBr, yColBr) according to the following expression.xColCtr=xPb+(W>>1)yColCtr=yPb+(H>>1)xColBr=xPb+WyColBr=yPb+H  (Expression BR0)

where, (xPb, yPb) represents the upper left coordinates of the targetblock, and (W, H) represents the width and height of the target block.

Note that a block X refers to a block on a reference picture including aposition X, and prediction parameters (motion vector, reference picturelist, or the like) of the block X indicate prediction parametersbelonging to the block X.

Tile Boundary BR, BRmod

Here, the block BR, which is one of the blocks referred to as thetemporal merge candidate illustrated in FIG. 21(c), is positionedoutside the tile as illustrated in FIG. 21(e) in a case that the targetblock is located at the right end of the tile as illustrated in FIG.21(d). Thus, the merge candidate deriver 30361 may configure theposition of the block BR to the lower right in the collocated block asillustrated in FIG. 21(f). This position is also referred to as BRmod.The position of BRmod (xColBr, yColBr) may be derived, for example, at ablock boundary position according to the following expression.xColBr=xPb+W−1yColBr=yPb+H−1  (Expression BR1)

Furthermore, to make the position of BRmod a multiple of the M-th powerof 2, a process of left shifting may be added after right shiftingdescribed below. For example, M may be preferably 2, 3, 4, or the like.In a case that this restricts the position of reference to the motionvector, the memory required to store the motion vector can be reduced.xColBr=((xPb+W−1)>>M)<<MyColBr=((yPb+H−1)>>M)<<M  (Expression BR2)

The merge candidate deriver 30361 may derive the position of thereference block BRmod by (Expression BR1) and (Expression BR2), as inFIGS. 49(a) and 49(c), even in a case that the target block (collocatedblock) is located at the lower right end or the lower end of the tile.

The merge candidate deriver 30361 may derive the position of BRmod(xColBr, yColBr) by the following expressions indicating the positionwithin the block boundary, as in FIG. 50(b), in the case that the targetblock (collocated block) is located at the right end of the tile.xColBr=xPb+W−1yColBr=yPb+H  (Expression BR1′)

Also in (Expression BR1′), the position may be configured as a multipleof the M-th power of 2 (position within a round block).xColBr=((xPb+W−1)>>M)<<MyColBr=((yPb+H)>>M)<<M  (Expression BR2′)

The merge candidate deriver 30361 may derive the position of BRmod(xColBr, yColBr) by the following expressions indicating the positionwithin the block boundary, as in FIG. 50(c), in the case that the targetblock is located at the lower end of the tile.xColBr=xPb+WyColBr=yPb+H−1  (Expression BR1″)orxColBr=((xPb+W)>>M)<<MyColBr=((yPb+H−1)>>M)<<M  (Expression BR2″)

Since the block outside the tile is not referred to at the positionwithin the block boundary or the position within the round block, theblock BR (or BRmod) in the lower right position can be referred to as atemporal merge candidate. For example, assuming that a function thatderives TileId at a certain position (x, y) is getTileID(x, y),getTileID(xColBr, yColBr)!=getTileID(xPb, yPb) holds, which can beapplied to the case that “TileId of the tile containing BR” is differentfrom “TileId of the tile containing the target block”, but the positionof BR (BRmod) may be derived according to any of the above expressions.In the case of independent_tile_flag=1, the lower right BRmod within thecollocated block may be configured. For example, the merge candidatederiver 30361 may derive the block BR at a block boundary position(Expression BR0) in the case of independent_tile_flag=0, or derive theblock BR at positions (Expression BR1), (Expression BR1′), and(Expression BR1″) within the block boundary in the case ofindependent_tile_flag=1. The round positions (Expression BR2),(Expression BR2′), and (Expression BR2″) may be used as the positionswithin the block boundary.

In summary, in a case that the upper left coordinates of the target tileare (xTs, yTs) and the width and height of the target tile are wT andhT, the lower right position can be derived as follows.if ((xPb+W<xTs+wT)&&(yPb+H<yTs+hT))xColBr=xPb+WyColBr=yPb+H  (Expression BR0)else if (yPb+H<yTs+hT)xColBr=xPb+W−1yColBr=yPb+H  (Expression BR1′)else if (xPb+W<xTs+wT)xColBr=xPb+WyColBr=yPb+H−1  (Expression BR1″)elsexColBr=xPb+W−1yColBr=yPb+H−1  (Expression BR1)

For the above positions (Expression BR1), (Expression BR1′), and(Expression BR1″), the positions (Expression BR2), (Expression BR2′),and (Expression BR2″) after rounding may be used.

In this way, the lower right block position of the collocated block isconfigured as the position BRmod within the collocated tile illustratedin FIG. 21(f) and the like so that in the case ofindependent_tile_flag=1, the tile sequence can be independently decodedwithout decreasing the coding efficiency using the merge prediction inthe time direction.

Combined Merge Candidate Derivation Process

In the combined merge derivation process, the merge candidate deriver30361 combines motion vectors and reference picture indices of twodifferent derived merge candidates which are already derived and storedin the merge candidate storage 30363 as motion vectors for L0 and L1,respectively to derive a combined merge candidate, and stores thederived combined merge candidate in the merge candidate listmergeCandList[ ].

Note that in a case that the motion vector derived in theabove-described spatial merge candidate derivation process, temporalmerge candidate derivation process, and combined merge candidatederivation process points to even a part of the outside of thecollocated tile of the tile where the target block is located, themotion vector may be clipped and corrected to point only to an inside ofthe collocated tile. This process requires the tile encoder 2002 and thetile decoder 2012 to select the same process.

Zero Merge Candidate Derivation Process

In the zero merge candidate derivation process, the merge candidatederiver 30361 derives a merge candidate which has a reference pictureindex refIdxLX of 0 and both an X component and Y component of 0 of amotion vector mvLX, and stores the derived merge candidate in the mergecandidate list mergeCandList[ ].

The merge candidate derived by the merge candidate deriver 30361 isstored in the merge candidate storage 30363. The order of storing in themerge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] is {L, A, AR, BL, AL, BR/C, acombined merge candidate, and a zero merge candidate}. L, A, AR, BL, AL,BR/C are prediction parameters for the blocks at the positionsillustrated in FIGS. 21(b) and 21(c). BR/C means that in a case that theblock BR is not available, the block C is used. Alternatively, in a caseof performing the sub-block prediction described later, the order ofstoring in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] is {L, A, AR, BL,ATMVP, STMVP, AL, TMVP (BR/C), a combined merge candidate, and a zeromerge candidate} in FIG. 24 . Note that reference blocks not available(block outside the tile, intra prediction, etc.) are not stored in themerge candidate list.

In a case that the motion vectors stored in the merge candidate listmergeCandList[ ] which includes multiple motion vectors that refer tothe padding region illustrated in FIG. 21(a), the merge candidatederiver 30361 may leave the motion vector initially stored in the mergecandidate list, and remove the other motion vectors referring to thepadding regions from the merge candidate list. Alternatively, the mergecandidate deriver 30361, in a case of storing the motion vector in themerge candidate list, may check whether the motion vector points to thepadding region, and not to store the motion vectors pointing to thesecond and subsequent padding regions in the merge candidate listmergeCandList[ ].

Alternatively, in a case that multiple motion vectors pointing to thepadding region are stored in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ],the merge candidate deriver 30361 may leave a minimum motion vectoramong the multiple motion vectors pointing to the padding region andremove other motion vectors from the merge candidate list. A magnitudeof the motion vector is calculated, for example, from a sum of absolutevalues of the horizontal and vertical components of the motion vector.Alternatively, the merge candidate deriver 30361 may leave a motionvector the closest to the tile boundary among the multiple motionvectors pointing to the padding region and remove the other motionvectors from the merge candidate list.

The merge candidate selection unit 30362 selects, as an inter predictionparameter for the target PU, a merge candidate assigned with an indexcorresponding to the merge index merge_idx input from the interprediction parameter decoding control unit 3031, among the mergecandidates stored in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] of themerge candidate storage 30363. The merge candidate selection unit 30362stores the selected merge candidate in the prediction parameter memory307 and outputs the merge candidate to the prediction image generator308.

Sub-Block Predictor

Next, a sub-block predictor will be described.

Time Space Sub-Block Predictor 30371

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 derives a motion vectorof a sub-block obtained by splitting the target PU, from a motion vectorof a PU on the reference picture (for example, the immediately precedingpicture) temporally neighboring to the target PU, or a motion vector ofa PU spatially neighboring to the target PU. Specifically, by scalingthe motion vector of the PU on the reference picture based on thereference picture referred to by the target PU, a motion vectorspMvLX[xi][yi] (xi=xPb+BW*i, yj=yPb+BH*j, i=0, 1, 2, . . . , W/BW−1,j=0, 1, 2, . . . , H/BH−1) of each sub-block in the target PU is derived(temporal sub-block prediction). Here, (xPb, yPb) represents the upperleft coordinates of the target PU, W and H represent the size of thetarget PU, and BW and BH represent the size of the sub-block.

Additionally, by calculating a weighted average of a motion vector of aPU neighboring to the target PU in accordance with a distance from asub-block obtained by splitting the target PU, the motion vectorspMvLX[xi][yi] (xi=xPb+BW*i, yj=yPb+BH*j, i=0, 1, 2, . . . , W/BW−1,j=0, 1, 2, . . . , H/BH−1) of each sub-block in the target PU may bederived (spatial sub-block prediction).

The temporal sub-block prediction candidate TSUB or the spatialsub-block prediction candidate SSUB is selected as one mode of the mergemode (merge candidate).

As specific spatial-temporal sub-block prediction methods, AdaptiveTemporal Motion Vector Prediction (ATMVP) and Spatial-Temporal MotionVector Prediction (STMVP) will be described.

Motion Vector Scaling

First, a method for deriving a scaling of a motion vector is described.Assuming a motion vector Mv, a picture Pic1 including a block having amotion vector Mv, a reference picture Pic2 of the motion vector Mv, apost-scaling motion vector sMv, a picture Pic3 including a block havinga post-scaling motion vector sMv, and a reference picture Pic4 referredto by the post-scaling motion vector sMv, a derivative functionMvScale(Mv, Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4) of sMv is represented by thefollowing expression.sMv2=MvScale(Mv,Pic1,Pic2,Pic3,Pic4)=Clip3(−R1,R1−1,sign(distScaleFactor*Mv)*((abs(distScaleFactor*Mv)+round1−1)>>shift1))distScaleFactor=Clip3(−R2,R2−1,(tb*tx+round2)>>shift2)tx=(16384+abs(td)>>1)/tdtd=DiffPicOrderCnt(Pic1,Pic2)tb=DiffPicOrderCnt(Pic3,Pic4)  (Expression MVSCALE-1)

Here, round1, round2, shift1, and shift2 are rounded and shifted valuesfor division using an inverse, and are, for example,round1=1<<(shift1−1), round2=1<<(shift2−1), shift1=8, shift2=6, and soon. DiffPicOrderCnt(Pic1, Pic2) is a function that returns a differencein time information (for example, POC) between Pic1 and Pic2. R1 and R2restrict a range of values to perform the process with limited accuracy,and are, for example, R1=32768, R2=4096, and so on.

A scaling function MvScale(Mv, Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4) may also be thefollowing expression.MvScale(Mv,Pic1,Pic2,Pic3,Pic4)=Mv*DiffPicOrderCnt(Pic3,Pic4)/DiffPicOrderCnt(Pic1,Pic2)  (ExpressionMVSCALE-2)

That is, Mv may be scaled depending on a ratio of the difference in thetime information between Pic1 and Pic2 to the difference in the timeinformation between Pic3 and Pic4.

ATMVP, Tile Boundary ATMVP

The ATMVP is a scheme in which a motion vector is derived for eachsub-block of a target block based on motion vectors of spatialneighboring blocks (L, A, AR, BL, AL) of the target block of the targetpicture PCur illustrated in FIG. 21(b) to generate a prediction image inunits of sub-block, and is performed in the following procedure and isprocessed in the following procedure.

Step 1) Initial Vector Derivation

An initial available neighboring block is determined in the order of thespatial neighboring blocks L, A, AR, BL, and AL. In a case that anavailable neighboring block is found, then a motion vector and referencepicture included in that block are transferred to step 2 as an initialvector IMV and an initial reference picture IRef of the ATMVP. In a casethat all neighboring blocks are not available (non available), the ATMVFis turned off and the process is terminated. The meaning of “ATMVP isturned off” is that the motion vector by the ATMVP is not stored in themerge candidate list.

Here, the meaning of “available neighboring block” is that, for example,the position of the neighboring block is contained in the target tile,and the neighboring block includes a motion vector.

Step 2) Initial Vector Tile Boundary Check

Whether or not the block referred to by the target block using IMV iswithin the collocated tile on the initial reference picture IRef ischecked. In a case that this block is within the collocated tile, theIMV and the IRef are transferred to step 3 as a block level motionvector BMV and reference picture BRef, respectively, of the targetblock. In a case that the block is not within the collocated tile,whether or not a block that is referred to using sIMV derived from IMVusing the scaling function MvScale(IMV, PCur, IRef, PCur,RefPicListX[refIdx]) is within the collocated tile is checked, on areference picture RefPicListX[RefIdx] (RefIdx=0 . . . the number ofreference pictures−1) stored in the reference picture list RefPicListX.In a case that this block is within the collocated tile, the sIMV andthe RefPicListX[RefIdx] are transferred to step 3 as a block levelmotion vector BMV and reference picture BRef, respectively, of thetarget block.

Note that in a case that no such block is found in all referencepictures stored in the reference picture list, the ATMVF is turned offand the process is terminated.

Step 3) Sub-Block Motion Vector

As illustrated in FIG. 22(b), on the reference picture BRef, a block ata position shifted from the target block by the motion vector BMV issplit into sub-blocks to obtain information on a motion vectorSpRefMvLX[k][l] (k=0 . . . NBW−1, 1=0 . . . NBH−1) and a referencepicture SpRef[k][l] included in each sub-block. Here, NBW and NBHrepresent the numbers of horizontal and vertical sub-blocks,respectively. In a case that a certain sub-block (k1, l1) includes nomotion vector, the block level motion vector BMV and reference pictureBRef are set as a motion vector SpRefMvLX[k1][l1] and a referencepicture SpRef[k1][l1] of the sub-block (k1, l1).

Step 4) Motion Vector Scaling

A motion vector SpMvLX[k][l] of each sub-block on the target block isderived by the scaling function MvScale( ) from the motion vectorSpRefMvLX[k][l] and the reference picture SpRef[k][l] of each sub-blockon the reference picture.SpMvLX[k][l]=MvScale(SpRefMvLX[k][l],Bref,SpRef[k][l],PCur,RefPicListX[refIdx0])  (ExpressionATMVP-1)

where, RefPicListX[refIdx0]) represents a sub-block level referencepicture of the target block, and for example, reference pictureRefPicListX[refIdxATMVP] or refIdxATMVP=0 is applied.

Note that the sub-block level reference picture of the target block maybe a reference picture indicated by an index (collocated_ref_idx) usedin the prediction motion vector derivation in the time directionsignaled in the slice header, as illustrated in FIG. 18(c), rather thanthe reference picture RefPicListX[refIdx0]. In this case, the sub-blocklevel reference picture of the target block isRefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx], and the calculation expression for thesub-block level motion vector SpMvLX[k][l] of the target block isdescribed below.SpMvLX[k][l]=MvScale(SpRefMvLX[k][l],Bref,SpRef[k][l],PCur,RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx]))  (ExpressionATMVP-2)Step 5) Sub-Block Vector Tile Boundary Check

In the sub-block level reference picture of the target block, whether ornot the sub-block to which the target sub-block refers usingSpMvLX[k][l] is within the collocated tile is checked. In a case that adestination to which a sub-block motion vector SpMvLX[k2][l2] points isnot within the collocated tile in a certain sub-block (k2, l2), any ofthe following processes 1 (process 1A to process 1D) is performed.

[Process 1A] Tile Boundary Padding

The tile boundary padding (padding outside tile) is achieved by clippingthe reference position at the positions of the boundary pixels on thetop, bottom, right, and left of the tile as already described above. Forexample, assuming that upper left coordinates of a target sub-blockrelative to upper left coordinates of a picture are (xs, ys), a widthand height of the target sub-block are BW and BW, respectively, upperleft coordinates of a target tile in which the target sub-block islocated are (xTs, yTs), a width and height of the target tile are wT andhT, respectively, and a motion vector is spMvLX[k2][l2], a sub-blocklevel reference pixel (xRef, yRef) is derived according to the followingexpression.xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−1,xs+(SpMvLX[k2][l2][0]>>log 2(M))+i)yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−1,ys+(SpMvLX[k2][l2][1]>>log2(M))+j)  (Expression ATMVP-3)

[Process 1B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction (Motion VectorRestriction Outside Tile)

The sub-block motion vector SpMvLX[k2][l2] is clipped so that thesub-block level motion vector SpMvLX[k2][l2] does not refer to theoutside of the tile. The tile boundary motion vector restriction is asdescribed above.

[Process 1C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (ReplacementOutside Tile Motion Vector with Substitution)

In a case that a destination to which the sub-block motion vectorSpMvLX[k2][l2] points is not within the collocated tile, thesubstitution motion vector SpMvLX[k3][l3] within the collocated tile iscopied. For example, (k3, l3) may be a sub-block neighboring to (k2, l2)or a center of the block.SpMvLX[k2][l2][0]=SpMvLX[k3][l3][0]SpMvLX[k2][l2][1]=SpMvLX[k3][l3][1]  (Expression ATMVP-4)

[Process 1D] Tile Boundary ATMVP Off (ATMVP Outside Tile Off)

In a case that the number of sub-blocks exceeds a prescribed threshold,and a destination to which the sub-block motion vector SpMvLX[k2][l2]points is not within the collocated tile for each of the sub-blocks, theATMVP is turned off and the process is terminated. For example, theprescribed threshold may be ½ of the total number of sub-blocks withinthe target block.

Note that the process 1 requires the tile encoder 2002 and the tiledecoder 2012 to select the same process.

Step 6) The ATMVP is stored in the merge candidate list. An example ofthe order of the merge candidates stored in the merge candidate list isillustrated in FIG. 24 . From among this list, the merge_idx derived bythe inter prediction parameter decoding control unit 3031 is used toselect a merge candidate for the target block.

In a case that the ATMVP is selected as a merge candidate, an image on areference picture RefPicListX[refIdxATMVP] shifted from each sub-blockof the target block by SpMvLX[k][l] and sets the read out image as aprediction image, as illustrated in FIG. 22(b).

The merge candidate list derivation process for the ATMVP described instep 1) to step 6) above will be described with reference to theflowchart in FIG. 23 .

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 searches five neighboringblocks of the target block (S2301).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 determines the presenceor absence of the initial available neighboring block, and proceeds toS2303 in a case that there is an available neighboring block or proceedsto S2311 in a case that there is no available neighboring block (S2302).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 configures the motionvector and reference picture included in the available neighboring blockas the initial vector IMV and initial reference picture IRef of thetarget block (S2303).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 searches the block basedmotion vector BMV and reference picture BRef of the target block, basedon the initial vector IMV and initial reference picture IRef of thetarget block (S2304).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 determines the presenceor absence of the block-based motion vector BMV with the reference blockpointing to the inside of the collocated tile, and in a case that theBMV is present, acquires the BRef and proceeds to S2306, or in a casethat the BMV is not present, proceeds to S2311 (S2305).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 acquires the sub-blockbased motion vector SpRefMvLX[k][l] and reference picture SpRef [k][l]of the collocated block using the block based motion vector BMV andreference picture BRef of the target block (S2306).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 uses the motion vectorSpRefMvLX[k][l] and the reference picture SpRef to derive the sub-blockbased motion vector spMvLX[k][l] of the target block by scaling in acase that the reference picture is configured asRefPicListX[refIdxATMVP] (S2307).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 determines whether or notall blocks to each of which the motion vector spMvLX[k][l] points referto the inside of the collocated tile on the reference pictureRefPicListX[refIdxATMVP]. In a case that all blocks refer only to theinside of the collocated tile, the process proceeds to S2310, otherwiseproceeds to S2309 (S2308).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371, in a case that at leasta part of the block shifted by the motion vector spMvLX[k][l] is outsidethe collocated tile, copies a sub-block level motion vector of aneighboring sub-block having a sub-block level motion vector of whichthe sub-block after the shift is within the collocated tile (S2309).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 stores an ATMVP motionvector in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] illustrated in FIG.24 (S2310).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 does not store an ATMVPmotion vector in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] (S2311).

Note that, in addition to copying the motion vector of the neighboringblock, the process in S2309 may be the padding process on the tileboundary of the reference picture or the clipping process on thesub-block level motion vector of the target block as described in 5). Ina case that the number of sub-blocks that are not available is greaterthan a prescribed threshold, the ATMVP may be turned off and the processmay proceed to S2311.

The above process derives the merge candidate list for the ATMVP.

By deriving the ATMVP motion vector to generate the prediction image inthis manner, the reference pixel is replaced by the pixel value in thecollocated tile, even in a case that the motion vector points to theoutside of the collocated tile in the inter prediction, and therefore,the tile can be independently inter-predicted. Thus, even in a case thatsome of the reference pixels are not included in the collocated tile,the ATMVP can be selected as one of the merge candidates. Then, in acase that the performance is higher than that of a merge candidate otherthan the ATMVP, the ATMVP can be used to generate the prediction image,so the coding efficiency can be increased.

STMVP

The STMVP is a scheme in which a motion vector is derived for eachsub-block of a target block, based on motion vectors of spatialneighboring blocks (a, b, c, d, . . . ) of the target block of thetarget picture PCur illustrated in FIG. 25(a) and collocated blocks (A′,B′, C′, D′, . . . ) of the target block illustrated in FIG. 25(b) togenerate a prediction image in units of sub-block. FIG. 25(a) is anexample of sub-blocks A, B, C, and D obtained by splitting a targetblock. Reference signs A′, B′, C′, and D′ in FIG. 25(b) represent thecollocated blocks of the sub-blocks A, B, C, and D, respectively, inFIG. 25(a). Reference signs Ac′, Bc′, Cc′, and Dc′ in FIG. 25(b)represent regions centered at the collocated blocks A′, B′, C′, and D′,respectively, and reference signs A′br, B′br, C′br, and D′br representregions located at the lower right of the collocated blocks A′, B′, C′,and D′, respectively. Note that the regions A′br, B′br, C′br, and D′brmay not be at the lower right positions outside the collocated blocksA′, B′, C′, and D′, respectively, illustrated in FIG. 25(b), but may beat the lower right positions inside the of the collocated blocks A′, B′,C′, and D′, respectively, illustrated in FIG. 25(g). In FIG. 25(g), theregions A′br, B′br, C′br, and D′br are located within the collocatedtile. The STMVP is performed in the following procedure.

Step 1) A target block is split into sub-blocks, and an initialavailable block is determined from an upper neighboring block of thesub-block A in the right direction. In a case that an availableneighboring block is found, then a motion vector and reference pictureincluded in the initial block are taken as a STMVP upper vectormvA_above and reference picture RefA_above, and a count cnt=1 is set. Ina case that no available neighboring block is found, the count cnt=0 isset.

Step 2) An initial available block is determined from a left neighboringblock b of the sub-block A in the downward direction. In a case that anavailable neighboring block is found, then a motion vector and referencepicture included in the initial block are taken as a left vectormvA_left and reference picture RefA_left, and the count cnt isincremented by one. In a case that no available neighboring block isfound, the count cnt is not updated.

Step 3) In the collocated block A′ of the sub-block A, whether or notthe lower right position region A′br and a region A′c are available ischecked in this order. In a case that an available region is found, thenan initial motion vector and reference picture included in that blockare taken as a collocated vector mvA_col and reference picture RefA_col,and the count is incremented by one. In a case that no available blockis found, the count cnt is not updated.

Step 4) In a case of cnt=0 (there is no available motion vector), theSTMVP is turned off and the process is terminated.

Step 5) In a case that ctn is not zero, the time information of thetarget picture PCur and the reference pictureRefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx] of the target block is used to scale theavailable motion vectors found in step 1) to step 3). The scaled motionvectors are represented by smvA_above, smvA_left, and smvA_col.smvA_above=MvScale(mvA_above,PCur,RefA_above,PCur,RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx])smvA_left=MvScale(mvA_left,PCur,RefA_left,PCur,RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx])smvA_col=MvScale(mvA_col,PCur,RefA_col,PCur,RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx])  (Expression STMVP-1)

The unavailable motion vector is set to 0.

Here, the scaling function MvScale(Mv, Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4) is afunction for scaling the motion vector My as described above.

Step 6) An average of smvA_above, smvA_left, and smvA_col is calculatedand set as a motion vector spMvLX[A] of the sub-block A. The referencepicture of the sub-block A is RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx].spMvLX[A]=(smvA_above+smvA_left+smvA_col)/cnt  (Expression STMVP-2)

For integer computation, for example, the derivation may be as follows.In the case of cnt==2, assuming two vectors mvA_cnt0 and mvA_cnt1 inthis order, the derivation may be according to the following expression.spMvLX[A]=(smvA_cnt0+smvA_cnt1)>>1

For cnt==3, the derivation may be according to the following expression.spMvLX[A]=(5*smvA_above+5*smvA_left+6*smvA_col)>>4

Step 7) Checked is whether or not a block at a position obtained byshifting the collocated block by spMvLX[A] is within the collocatedtile, in the reference picture RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx]. In acase that a part of or all of the block is not within the collocatedtile, any of the following processes 2 (process 2A to process 2D) isperformed.

[Process 2A] Tile Boundary Padding

The tile boundary padding (padding outside tile) is achieved by clippingthe reference position at the positions of the boundary pixels on thetop, bottom, right, and left of the tile as already described above. Forexample, assuming that upper left coordinates of the sub-block Arelative to upper left coordinates of the picture are (xs, ys), a widthand height of the sub-block A are BW and BH, respectively, upper leftcoordinates of a target tile in which the sub-block A is located are(xTs, yTs), and a width and height of the target tile are wT and hT,respectively, a reference pixel (xRef, yRef) of the sub-block A isderived according to the following expression.xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−1,xs+(SpMvLX[A][0]>>log 2(M))+i)yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−1,ys+(SpMvLX[A][1]>>log 2(M))+j)   (ExpressionSTMVP-3)

Note that the process 2 requires the tile encoder 2002 and the tiledecoder 2012 to select the same process.

[Process 2B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

The sub-block level motion vector spMvLX[A] is clipped so that thesub-block level motion vector spMvLX[A] does not refer to the outside ofthe tile. The tile boundary motion vector restriction is as describedabove.

[Process 2C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (Replacement bySubstitution Motion Vector)

In a case that a destination to which the sub-block motion vectorSpMvLX[k2][l2] points is not within the collocated tile, thesubstitution motion vector SpMvLX[k3][l3] within the collocated tile iscopied. For example, (k3, l3) may be a sub-block neighboring to (k2, l2)or a center of the block.SpMvLX[k2][l2][0]=SpMvLX[k3][l3][0]SpMvLX[k2][l2][1]=SpMvLX[k3][l3][1]  (Expression STMVP-4)

[Process 2D] Tile Boundary STMVP Off

In a case that the number of sub-blocks exceeds a prescribed threshold,for each of which sub-blocks a destination to which the sub-block motionvector SpMvLX[k2][l2] points is not within the collocated tile, theSTMVP is turned off and the process is terminated. For example, theprescribed threshold may be ½ of the total number of sub-blocks withinthe target block.

Step 8) The processes in steps 1) to 7) described above are performed oneach sub-block of the target block, such as the sub-blocks B, C, and D,and the motion vectors of the sub-blocks are determined as in FIGS.25(d), 25(e), and 25(f). However, in sub-block B, the upper neighboringblock is searched from d in the right direction. In the sub-block C, theupper neighboring block is A and the left neighboring block is searchedfrom a in the downward direction. In the sub-block D, the upperneighboring block is B and the left neighboring block is C.

Step 9) The STMVP motion vector is stored in the merge candidate list.An example of the order of the merge candidates stored in the mergecandidate list is illustrated in FIG. 24 . From this list, the merge_idxderived by the inter prediction parameter decoding control unit 3031 isused to select a merge candidate for the target block.

In a case that the STMVP is selected as a merge candidate, an image on areference picture RefPicListX[collocated_ref_idx] shifted from eachsub-block of the target block by the motion vector is read and sets theread out image as a prediction image.

The merge candidate list derivation process for the STMVP described instep 1) to step 9) will be described with reference to the flowchart inFIG. 26(a).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 splits the target blockinto sub-blocks (S2601).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 searches upper and leftneighboring blocks of the sub-block in the time direction (S2602).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 determines the presenceor absence of the available neighboring block, and proceeds to S2604 ina case that there is an available neighboring block or proceeds to S2610in a case that there is no available neighboring block (S2603).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 scales the motion vectorincluded in the available neighboring block in accordance with temporaldistances between the target picture and the reference pictures of themultiple neighboring blocks (S2604).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 calculates an average ofthe scaled motion vectors and sets the calculated average as a motionvector spMvLX[ ] of the target sub-block (S2605).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 determines whether or nota block obtained by shifting the collocated sub-block on the referencepicture by a motion vector spMvLX[ ] is within the collocated tile, andproceeds to S2608 in a case that the block is within the collocatedtile, or proceeds to S2607 in a case that even a part of the block isnot within the collocated tile (S2606).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 clips the motion vectorspMvLX[ ] in the case that the block shifted by the motion vectorspMvLX[ ] is outside of the collocated tile (S2607).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 checks whether or not thesub-block under the process is the last sub-block of the target block(S2608), and proceeds to S2610 in the case of the last sub-block, andotherwise, changes a processing target to the next sub-block andproceeds to S2602 (S2609), and then, repeatedly performs S2602 to S2608.

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371 stores an STMVP motionvector in the merge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] illustrated in FIG.24 (S2610).

The spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371, in the case of noavailable motion vector, does not store an STMVP motion vector in themerge candidate list mergeCandList[ ] and terminates the process(S2611).

Note that, in addition to the clipping process on the motion vector ofthe target sub-block, the process in S2607 may be the padding process onthe tile boundary of the reference picture as described in step 7).

The above process derives the merge candidate list for the STMVP.

By deriving the STMVP motion vector to generate the prediction image inthis manner, the reference pixel is replaced by the pixel value in thecollocated tile, even in a case that the motion vector points to theoutside of the collocated tile in the inter prediction, and therefore,the tile can be independently inter-predicted. Thus, even in a case thatsome of the reference pixels are not included in the collocated tile,the STMVP can be selected as one of the merge candidates. Then, in acase that the performance is higher than that of a merge candidate otherthan the STMVP, the STMVP can be used to generate the prediction image,so the coding efficiency can be increased.

Affine Predictor

The affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive affine predictionparameters for the target PU. In the present embodiment, motion vectors(mv0_x, mv0_y) (mv1_x, mv1_y) of two control points (V0, V1) of thetarget PU are derived as the affine prediction parameters. Specifically,the motion vector of each control point may be derived by predictionfrom a motion vector of a neighboring PU of the target PU (affinepredictor 30372), or the motion vector of each control point may bederived from a sum of a prediction vector derived as the motion vectorof the control point and a differential vector derived from the codeddata (affine predictor 30321).

Sub-Block Motion Vector Derivation Process

Hereinafter, as an example of a further specific embodimentconfiguration, a flow of the process in which the affine predictors30372 and 30321 derive the motion vector mvLX of each sub-block usingthe affine prediction will be described in steps. The process in whichthe affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive the motion vector mvLX ofthe target sub-block using the affine prediction includes three steps(STEP 1) to (STEP 3) described below.

(STEP 1) Derivation of Control Point Vector

In this step, a motion vector of each of representative points of thetarget block (here, a point V0 at the upper left of the block and apoint V1 at the upper right of the block) are derived as two controlpoints used in the affine prediction for the affine predictors 30372 and30321 to derive candidates. Note that a point on the target block isused for the representative point of the block. In the presentspecification, the representative point of the block used for thecontrol point of the affine prediction is referred to as a “blockcontrol point”.

First, processes in the AMVP mode and the merge mode (STEP 1) will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 30 . FIG. 30 is a diagram illustratingan example of a position of a reference block utilized for derivation ofmotion vectors of control points in the AMVP mode and the merge mode.

Derivation of Motion Vector of Control Point in AMVP Mode

The affine predictor 30321 adds prediction vectors mvpVNLX anddifference vectors of two control points (V0, V1) to derive a motionvector mvN=(mvN_x, mvN_y). N represents the control point.

More specifically, the affine predictor 30321 derives the predictionvector candidate of the control point VN (N=0 . . . 1), and stores thederived candidate in a prediction vector candidate list mvpListVNLX[ ].Moreover, the affine predictor 30321 derives a motion vector (mvN_x,mvN_y) of the control point VN from a prediction vector indexmvpVN_LX_idx of the point VN from the coded data, and a differencevector mvdVNLX according to the following expression.mvN_x=mvNLX[0]=mvpListVNLX[mvpVN_LX_idx][0]+mvdVNLX[0]mvN_y=mvNLX[1]=mvpListVNLX[mvpVN_LX_idx][1]+mvdVNLX[1]  (ExpressionAFFIN-1)

As illustrated in FIG. 30(a), the affine predictor 30321 refers tomvpV0_LX_idx to select, as a reference block (AMVP reference block), anyone of blocks A, B, and C neighboring to one of the representativepoints. Then, the motion vector of the selected AMVP reference block istaken as a prediction vector mvpV0LX of the representative point V0.Furthermore, the affine predictor 30321 refers to mvpV1_LX_idx toselect, as an AMVP reference block, any one of blocks D and E. Then, themotion vector of the selected AMVP reference block is taken as aprediction vector mvpV1LX of the representative point V1. Note that theposition of the control point in (STEP 1) is not limited to the aboveposition, and instead of V1, may be a position of a point V2 at thelower left of the block illustrated in FIG. 30(b). In this case, any ofthe blocks F and G is selected as AMVP reference block by referring tomvpV2_LX_idx. Then, the motion vector of the selected AMVP referenceblock is taken as a prediction vector mvpV2LX of the representativepoint V2.

For example, as illustrated in FIG. 30 (c-2), in a case that the leftside of the target block shares the border with the tile boundary, thecontrol points are V0 and V1, and the reference block of the controlpoint V0 is the block B. In this case mvpV0_L0_idx is not required. Notethat, in a case that the reference block B is an intra prediction, theaffine prediction may be turned off (affine prediction is not performed,affine_flag=0), or the prediction vector of the control point V1 may becopied to the prediction vector of the control point V0 to perform theaffine prediction. These may be made by performing the same process asthe affine predictor 11221 of the tile encoder 2012.

Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 30 (c-1), in a case that the upperside of the target block shares the border with the tile boundary, thecontrol points are V0 and V2, and the reference block of the controlpoint V0 is the block C. In this case mvpV0_L0_idx is not required. Notethat, in a case that the reference block C is an intra prediction, theaffine prediction may be turned off (affine prediction is notperformed), or the prediction vector of the control point V2 may becopied to the prediction vector of the control point V0 to perform theaffine prediction. These may be made by performing the same process asthe affine predictor 11221 of the tile encoder 2012.

Derivation of Motion Vectors of Control Points in Merge Mode

The affine predictor 30372 refers to the prediction parameter memory307, and checks whether or not affine prediction is used for blocksincluding L, A, AR, LB, and AL as illustrated in FIG. 30(d). The affinepredictor 30372 searches the blocks L, A, AR, LB, and AL in this order,selects a first-detected block using affine prediction (the block isherein L of FIG. 30(d)) as a reference block (merge reference block),and derives its motion vectors of the block.

The affine predictor 30372 derives motion vectors (mvN_x, mvN_y) (N=0 .. . 1) of control points (for example, V0 and V1), based on motionvectors (mvvN_x, mvvN_y) (N=0 . . . 2) of a block including three points(a point v0, a point v1, and a point v2 of FIG. 30(e)) of the selectedmerge reference block. Note that, in the example illustrated in FIG.30(e), the target block has a width W and a height H, and the mergereference block (in the example of the figure, a block including L) hasa width w and a height h.mv0_x=mv0LX[0]=mvv0_x+(mvv1_x−mvv0_x)/w*w−(mvv2_y−mvv0_y)/h*(h−H)mv0_y=mv0LX[1]=mvv0_y+(mvv2_y−mvv0_y)/h*w+(mvv1_x−mvv0_x)/w*(h−H)mv1_x=mv1LX[0]=mvv0_x+(mvv1_x−mvv0_x)/w*(w+W)−(mvv2_y−mvv0_y)/h*(h−H)mv1_y=mv1LX[1]=mvv0_y+(mvv2_y−mvv0_y)/h*(w+W)+(mvv1_x−mvv0_x)/w*(h−H)  (ExpressionAFFINE-2)

In a case that reference pictures of the derived motion vectors mv0 andmv1 are different from a reference picture of the target block, scalingmay be performed based on an inter-picture distance between each of thereference pictures and the target picture.

Next, in a case that the motion vectors (mvN_x, mvN_y) (N=0 . . . 1) ofthe control points V0 and V1 that are derived in (STEP 1) by the affinepredictors 30372 and 30321 point to the outside of the tile (in thereference picture, a part or all of blocks at positions shifted from thecollocated block by mvN are not present within the collocated tile), anyone of Process 4 (Process 4A to Process 4D) described below isperformed.

[Process 4A] Tile Boundary Padding

A tile boundary padding process is performed in STEP 3. In this case, anadditional process is not particularly performed in (STEP 1). The tileboundary padding (out-of-tile padding) is, as described above,implemented by clipping a reference position at positions of upper,lower, right, and left boundary pixels of the tile. For example, asub-block level reference pixel (xRef, yRef) is derived according to thefollowing expression:xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−1,xs+(SpMvLX[k2][l2][0]>>log 2(M))+i)yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−1,ys+(SpMvLX[k2][l2][1]>>log2(M))+j)  (Expression AFFINE-3)

where (xs, ys) represents upper left coordinates of the target sub-blockwith respect to upper left coordinates of the picture, W and Hrespectively represent width and height of the target block, (xTs, yTs)represents upper left coordinates of the target tile at which the targetsub-block is located, and wT and hT respectively represent width andheight of the target tile.

[Process 4B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

The sub-block motion vector spMvLX[k2][l2] is clipped so that thesub-block level motion vector spMvLX[k2][l2] does not refer to theoutside of the tile. The tile boundary motion vector restriction is asdescribed above.

[Process 4C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (Alternative MotionVector Replacement)

A motion vector is copied from a neighboring sub-block that has a motionvector pointing to the inside of the collocated tile.

[Process 4D] Turn Off Tile Boundary Affine

In a case that it is determined that the outside of the collocated tileis referred to, affine_flag=0 is set (affine prediction is notperformed). In this case, the above process is not performed.

Note that, in Process 4, the affine predictor of the tile encoder 2002and the affine predictor of the tile decoder 2012 need to select thesame process.

(STEP 2) Derivation of Sub-Block Vector

This is a step in which the affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive amotion vector of each sub-block included in the target block, based onthe motion vectors of the block control points (control points V0 andV1, or V0 and V2), which are representative points of the target blockderived in (STEP 1). In (STEP 1) and (STEP 2), a motion vector spMvLX ofeach sub-block is derived. Note that, although the following descriptionconcerns an example of the control points V0 and V1, a motion vector ofeach sub-block can also be derived using the control points V0 and V2through a similar process, only by replacing the motion vector of V1with the motion vector of V2.

FIG. 13(a) is a diagram illustrating an example in which a motion vectorspMvLX of each sub-block constituting the target block is derived basedon the motion vector (mv0_x, mv0_y) of the control point V0 and themotion vector (mv1_x, mv1_y) of V1. As illustrated in FIG. 13(a), themotion vector spMvLX of each sub-block is derived as a motion vector ofeach point that is located at the center of each sub-block.

Based on the motion vectors (mv0_x, mv0_y) and (mv1_x, mv1_y) of thecontrol points V0 and V1, the affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive amotion vector spMvLX[xi][yi] (xi=xb+BW*i, yj=yb+BH*j, i=0, 1, 2, . . . ,W/BW−1, j=0, 1, 2, . . . , H/BH−1) of each sub-block in the target PU,according to the following expression:spMvLX[xi][yi][0]=mv0_x+(mv1_x−mv0_x)/W*(xi+BW/2)−(mv1_y−mv0_y)/W*(yi+BH/2)spMvLX[xi][yi][1]=mv0_y+(mv1_y−mv0_y)/W*(xi+BW/2)+(mv1_x−mv0_x)/W*(yi+BH/2)  (ExpressionAFFINE-4)

where xb and yb represent upper left coordinates of the target PU, W andH respectively represent width and height of the target block, and BWand BH respectively represent width and height of the sub-block.

FIG. 13(b) is a diagram illustrating an example in which the targetblock (width W, height H) is split into sub-blocks having a width BW anda height BH.

Points of a sub-block position (i, j) and sub-block coordinates (xi, yj)each correspond to an intersection between the broken line in parallelwith the x axis and the broken line in parallel with the y axis of FIG.13(b). In FIG. 13(b), as an example, a point of a sub-block position (i,j)=(1, 1), and a point of sub-block coordinates (xi, yj)=(x1,y1)=(BW+BW/2, BH+BH/2) for the sub-block position (1, 1) are indicated.

(STEP 3) Sub-Block Motion Compensation

This is a step in which the motion compensation unit 3091 performsmotion compensation for each sub-block in a case of affine_flag=1, basedon the prediction list use flag predFlagLX, the reference picture indexrefIdxLX, and the motion vectors spMvLX of the sub-blocks derived in(STEP 2), which are input from the inter prediction parameter decoder303. Specifically, a block located at the position shifted by the motionvector spMvLX from the position of the target sub-block on the referencepicture indicated by the reference picture index refIdxLX is read fromthe reference picture memory 306, and is then filtered, and a motioncompensation image PredLX is thereby generated.

In a case that the motion vectors of the sub-blocks derived in (STEP 2)point to the outside of the tile, the tile boundary is padded to readpixels.

Note that, in a case that there is affine_flag notified from the tileencoder 2002, the tile decoder 2012 may perform the above process onlyin a case of affine_flag=1.

FIG. 31(a) is a flowchart illustrating operation of the above affineprediction.

The affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive motion vectors of controlpoints (S3101).

Next, the affine predictors 30372 and 30321 determine whether or not thederived motion vectors of the control points point to the outside of thetile (S3102). In a case that the motion vectors do not point to theoutside of the tile (N in S3102), the process proceeds to S3104. In acase that at least a part of the motion vectors points to the outside ofthe tile (Y in S3102), the process proceeds to S3103.

In a case that at least a part of the motion vectors points to theoutside of the tile, the affine predictors 30372 and 30321 perform anyone of Process 4 described above; that is, for example, clip the motionvectors, and make a modification so that the motion vectors point to theinside of the tile.

S3101 to S3103 are a process corresponding to (STEP 1) described above.

The affine predictors 30372 and 30321 derive a motion vector of eachsub-block, based on the derived motion vectors of the control points(S3104). S3104 is a process corresponding to (STEP 2) described above.

The motion compensation unit 3091 determines whether or not affine_flagis 1 (affine_flag=1) (S3105). In a case that affine_flag is not 1 (N inS3105), the motion compensation unit 3091 does not perform affineprediction, and ends the affine prediction process. In a case thataffine_flag is 1 (Y in S3105), the process proceeds to S3106.

The motion compensation unit 3091 determines whether or not the motionvectors of the sub-blocks point to the outside of the tile (3106). In acase that the motion vectors do not point to the outside of the tile (Nin S3106), the process proceeds to S3108. In a case that at least a partof the motion vectors points to the outside of the tile (Y in S3106),the process proceeds to S3107.

In a case that at least a part of the motion vectors of the sub-blockspoints to the outside of the tile, the motion compensation unit 3091pads the tile boundary (S3107).

The motion compensation unit 3091 generates a motion compensation imageby means of affine prediction, by using the motion vectors of thesub-blocks (S3108).

S3105 to S3108 are a process corresponding to (STEP 3) described above.

FIG. 31(b) is a flowchart illustrating an example of determining controlpoints in a case of AMVP prediction in S3101 of FIG. 31(a).

The affine predictor 30321 determines whether or not the upper side ofthe target block touches the tile boundary (S3110). In a case oftouching the upper boundary of the tile (Y in S3110), the processproceeds to S3111, and the control points are configured to V0 and V2(S3111). Otherwise (N in S3110), the process proceeds to S3112, and thecontrol points are configured to V0 and V1 (S3112).

In affine prediction, even in a case that a neighboring block is locatedoutside of the tile or in a case that the motion vectors point to theoutside of the tile, the reference pixel can be replaced with a pixelvalue within the tile, by configuring the control points, derivingmotion vectors for affine prediction, and then generating a predictionimage as described above. As a result, decrease in the frequency ofusing the affine prediction process can be prevented, and interprediction can be independently performed on the tiles. Therefore,coding efficiency can be enhanced.

Matching Motion Deriver 30373

The matching motion deriver 30373 performs a matching process of any oneof bilateral matching and template matching, and thereby derives amotion vector spMvLX of a block or a sub-block constituting a PU. FIG.14 is a diagram for illustrating (a) Bilateral matching, and (b)Template matching. A matching motion derivation mode is selected as onemerge candidate (matching candidate) of the merge mode.

Based on the assumption that an object moves at a constant speed, thematching motion deriver 30373 derives a motion vector by matching ofregions of multiple reference pictures. In bilateral matching, based onthe assumption that a certain object passes a certain region of areference picture A, a target PU of a target picture Cur_Pic, and acertain region of a reference picture B at a constant speed, a motionvector of the target PU is derived by matching between the referencepictures A and B. In template matching, based on the assumption that amotion vector of a neighboring region of a target PU and a motion vectorof the target PU are equal, a motion vector is derived by matching of aneighboring region Temp_Cur (template) of the target PU and aneighboring region Temp_L0 of a reference block on a reference picture.The matching motion deriver splits the target PU into multiplesub-blocks, and performs bilateral matching or template matching(described later) for each of the split sub-blocks, and thereby derivesa motion vector spMvLX[xi][yi] (xi=xPb+BW*i, yj=yPb+BH*j, i=0, 1, 2, . .. , W/BW−1, j=0, 1, 2, . . . , H/BH−1) of the sub-block.

As illustrated in FIG. 14(a), in bilateral matching, two referencepictures are referred to in order to derive a motion vector of a targetblock Cur_block of a target picture Cur_Pic. More specifically, first,Block_A and Block_B are configured. Block_A is a region within areference picture Ref0 (referred to as a reference picture A) that isindicated by the reference picture index refIdxL0, and that has upperleft coordinates (xPos0, yPos0) that are determined according to:(xPos0,yPos0)=(xCur+mv0[0],yCur+mv0[1])  (Expression FRUC-1)

where (xCur, yCur) represents coordinates of the target block Cur_block.

For example, Block_B is, for example, a region within a referencepicture Ref1 (referred to as a reference picture B) that is indicated bythe reference picture index refIdxL1, and that has upper leftcoordinates (xPos1, yPos1) that are determined according to:(xPos1,yPos1)=(xCur+mv1[0],xCur+mv1[1])=(xCur−mv0[0]*DiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic,Ref1)/DiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic,Ref0),yCur−mv0[1]*DiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic,Ref1)/DiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic,Ref0))  (ExpressionFRUC-2)

where, as illustrated in FIG. 14(a), DiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic, Ref0) andDiffPicOrderCnt(Cur_Pic, Ref1) respectively represent a function forreturning a difference of time information between the target pictureCur_Pic and the reference picture A and a function for returning adifference of time information between the target picture Cur_Pic andthe reference picture B.

Next, (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]) is determined so that a matching cost betweenBlock_A and Block_B has a minimum value. (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]) derived inthis manner is used as the motion vector assigned for the target block.Based on the motion vector assigned for the target block, a motionvector spMVL0 is derived for each sub-block that is obtained bysplitting the target block.

In contrast, FIG. 14(b) is a diagram for illustrating Template matching,which is one of the above matching processes.

As illustrated in FIG. 14(b), in template matching, one referencepicture is referred to at one time in order to derive a motion vector ofa target block Cur_block of a target picture Cur_Pic.

More specifically, a reference block Block_A is determined. For example,the reference block Block_A is a region within a reference picture Ref0(referred to as a reference picture A) that is indicated by thereference picture index refIdxL0, and that has upper left coordinates(xPos0, yPos0) that are determined according to:(xPos0,yPos0)=(xCur+mv0[0],yCur+mv0[1])  (Expression FRUC-3)where (xCur, yCur) represents upper left coordinates of the target blockCur_block.

Next, a neighboring template region Temp_Cur of the target blockCur_block in the target picture Cur_Pic and a neighboring templateregion Temp_L0 of Block_A in the reference picture A are configured. Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 14(b), the template region Temp_Curincludes an upper neighboring region of the target block Cur_block and aleft neighboring region of the target block Cur_block. The templateregion Temp_L0 includes an upper neighboring region of Block_A and aleft neighboring region of Block_A.

Next, (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]) that leads to the minimum matching cost betweenTemp_Cur and Temp_L0 is determined, and determined (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]) isused as the motion vector assigned for the target block. Based on themotion vector assigned for the target block, a motion vector spMvL0 isderived for each sub-block that is obtained by splitting the targetblock.

Also in template matching, two reference pictures Ref0 and Ref1 may beprocessed. In this case, matching with the reference picture Ref0 andmatching with the reference picture Ref1 described above aresequentially performed. A reference block Block_B is determined. Thereference block Block_B is the region within a reference picture Ref1(referred to as a reference picture B) that is indicated by thereference picture index refIdxL1, and that has upper left coordinates(xPos1, yPos1) that are determined according to:(xPos1,yPos1)=(xCur+mv1[0],yCur+mv1[1])  (Expression FRUC-4).

Then, neighboring template regions Temp_L1 of Block_B in the referencepicture B are configured. Finally, (mv1 [0], mv1 [1]) that leads to theminimum matching cost between Temp_Cur and Temp_L1 is determined, anddetermined (mv1 [0], mv1 [1]) is used as the motion vector assigned forthe target block. Based on the motion vector assigned for the targetblock, a motion vector spMvL1 is derived for each sub-block that isobtained by splitting the target block.

Motion Vector Derivation Process According to Matching Process

The flow of a motion vector derivation (pattern matched vectorderivation) process in a matching mode will be described with referenceto the flowchart of FIG. 32 .

The process illustrated in FIG. 32 is performed by the matching motionderiver 30373. FIG. 32(a) is a flowchart of a bilateral matchingprocess, and FIG. 32(b) is a flowchart of a template matching process.

Note that S3201 to S3205, out of the steps illustrated in FIG. 32(a),correspond to a block search performed at the block level. Specifically,a motion vector is derived for the whole block (CU or PU) by means ofpattern matching.

S3206 and S3207 correspond to a sub-block search performed at thesub-block level. Specifically, a motion vector is derived for eachsub-block that constitutes a block, by means of pattern matching.

First, in S3201, the matching motion deriver 30373 configuresblock-level initial vector candidates of a target block. The initialvector candidates are motion vectors of neighboring blocks, such as anAMVP candidate and a merge candidate of the target block.

Next, in S3202, the matching motion deriver 30373 searches for a vectorthat leads to the minimum matching cost among the initial vectorcandidates configured in the above, and uses the searched vector as aninitial vector to be the basis for a vector search. For example, thematching cost is expressed as in the following expression:SAD=ΣΣabs(Block_A[x][y]−Block_B[x][y])  (Expression FRUC-5)

where ΣΣ represents a sum with respect to x and y, and Block_A[ ][ ] andBlock_B[ ][ ] respectively represent a block whose upper leftcoordinates are expressed by (xPos0, yPos0) and (xPos1, yPos1) of(Expression FRUC-1) and (Expression FRUC-2). Each of the initial vectorcandidates is substituted into (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]). Then, a vector thatleads to the minimum matching cost is again set to (mv0 [0], mv0 [1]).

Next, in S3203, the matching motion deriver 30373 determines whether ornot the initial vector calculated in S3202 points to the outside of thetile (in the reference picture, a part or all of blocks at positionsshifted from the collocated block by mvN (N=0 . . . 1) are not presentwithin the collocated tile). In a case that the initial vector does notpoint to the outside of the tile (N in S3203), the process proceeds toS3205. In a case that at least a part of the initial vector points tothe outside of the tile (Y in S3203), the process proceeds to S3204.

In S3204, the matching motion deriver 30373 performs any one ofProcesses 5 (Process 5A to Process 5C) described below.

[Process 5A] Tile Boundary Padding

The motion compensation unit 3091 performs tile boundary padding.

Clipping is performed so that the pixel pointed by the initial vector(mv0 [0], mv0 [1]) does not refer to the outside of the tile. Areference pixel (xRef, yRef) of the sub-block is derived according tothe following expression:xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−1,xs+(mv0[0]>>log 2(M))+i)yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−1,ys+(mv1[1]>>log 2(M))+j)  (Expression FRUC-6)

where (xs, ys) represents upper left coordinates of the target blockwith respect to upper left coordinates of the picture, W and Hrespectively represent width and height of the target block, (xTs, yTs)represents upper left coordinates of the target tile at which the targetblock is located, and wT and hT respectively represent width and heightof the target tile.

[Process 5B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

The initial vector mv0 is clipped so that the motion vector mv0 of theinitial vector does not refer to the outside of the tile. The tileboundary motion vector restriction is as described above.

[Process 5C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (Alternative MotionVector Replacement)

In a case that a target pointed by the motion vector mv0 is not presentwithin the collocated tile, an alternative motion vector present withinthe collocated tile is copied.

[Process 5D] Turn Off Tile Boundary Bilateral Matching

In a case that it is determined that the outside of the collocated tileis referred to, BM_flag indicating on/off of bilateral matching is setto 0, and bilateral matching is not performed (the process proceeds to“end”).

Note that, in Process 5, the tile encoder 2002 and the tile decoder 2012need to select the same process.

In S3205, the matching motion deriver 30373 performs a block-level localsearch of the target block. In the local search, a local region aroundthe initial vector derived in S3202 or S3204 (for example, a region±Dpixels around the initial vector) is further searched for a vector thatleads to the minimum matching cost, and the searched vector is used asthe final motion vector of the target block.

Subsequently, the following process is performed on each sub-blockincluded in the target block (S3206 and S3207).

In S3206, the matching motion deriver 30373 derives an initial vector ofeach sub-block of the target block (initial vector search). Initialvector candidates of the sub-block are the block-level motion vectorderived in S3205, a motion vector of a neighboring block of thesub-block in the spatial-temporal direction, and an ATMVP or STMVPvector of the sub-block, for example. Among these candidate vectors, avector that leads to the minimum matching cost is used as the initialvector of the sub-block. Note that the vector candidates used for theinitial vector search of the sub-block are not limited to the vectorsdescribed above.

Next, in S3207, the matching motion deriver 30373 performs a step searchor the like (local search) in a local region around the initial vectorof the sub-block selected in S3206 (for example, a region±D pixelsaround the initial vector). Then, matching costs of the vectorcandidates near the initial vector of the sub-block are derived, and avector that leads to the minimum matching cost is thereby derived as themotion vector of the sub-block.

After the process for all the sub-blocks included in the target blockcompletes, the pattern matched vector derivation process of bilateralmatching ends.

Next, a pattern matched vector derivation process of template matchingwill be described with reference to FIG. 32(b). Note that S3211 toS3205, out of the steps illustrated in FIG. 32(b), correspond to a blocksearch performed at the block level. S3214 to S3207 correspond to asub-block search performed at the sub-block level.

First, in S3211, the matching motion deriver 30373 determines whether ornot a template Temp_Cur of a target block (both an upper neighboringregion and a left neighboring region of the target block) is presentwithin the tile. In a case of presence within the tile (Y in S3211), asillustrated in FIG. 14(c), the upper neighboring region and the leftneighboring region of the target block are set to Temp_Cur, and atemplate of the target block is acquired (S3213). Otherwise (N inS3211), the process proceeds to S3212, and any one of Processes 6(Process 6A to Process 6E) described below is performed.

[Process 6A] Tile Boundary Padding

The motion compensation unit 3091 performs tile boundary padding.

[Process 6B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

The motion vector is clipped so that the motion vector does not refer tothe outside of the tile. The tile boundary motion vector restriction isas described above.

[Process 6C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (Alternative MotionVector Replacement)

In a case that a target pointed by the sub-block motion vector is notpresent within the collocated tile, an alternative motion vector presentwithin the collocated tile is copied.

[Process 6D] Turn Off Template Matching

In a case that it is determined that the outside of the collocated tileis referred to, TM_flag indicating on/off of template matching is set to0, and template matching is not performed (the process proceeds to“end”).

[Process 6E] In a case that either one of the upper neighboring regionand the left neighboring region is present within the tile, theneighboring region is set as the template.

Note that, in Process 6, the tile encoder 2002 and the tile decoder 2012need to select the same process.

Next, in S3201, the matching motion deriver 30373 configures block-levelinitial vector candidates of the target block. The process of S3201 isthe same as the process of S3201 of FIG. 32(a).

Next, in S3202, the matching motion deriver 30373 searches for a vectorthat leads to the minimum matching cost among the initial vectorcandidates configured in the above, and uses the searched vector as aninitial vector to be the basis for a vector search. For example, thematching cost is expressed as in the following expression:SAD=ΣΣabs(Temp_Cur[x][y]−Temp_L0[x][y])  (Expression FRUC-7)

where ΣΣ represents a sum with respect to x and y, and Temp_L0[ ][ ]represents a template of the target block illustrated in FIG. 14(b), andcorresponds to the upper and left neighboring regions of Block_A whoseupper left coordinates are (xPos0, yPos0) expressed in (ExpressionFRUC-3). Each of the initial vector candidates is substituted into(mv0[0], mv0[1]) of (Expression FRUC-3). Then, a vector that leads tothe minimum matching cost is again set to (mv0[0], mv0[1]). Note that,in a case that only the upper or left region of the target block is setto the template in S3212, the same shape is set to Temp_L0[ ][ ] aswell.

The process of S3203 and S3204 is the same process as S3203 and S3204 ofFIG. 32(a). Note that, in a case that template matching is turned off inProcess 5 of S3204 of FIG. 32(b), TM_flag is set to 0.

In S3205, the matching motion deriver 30373 performs a block-level localsearch of the target block. In the local search, a local region aroundthe initial vector derived in S3202 or S3204 (for example, a region±Dpixels around the initial vector) is further searched for a vector thatleads to the minimum matching cost, and the searched vector is used asthe final motion vector of the target block.

Subsequently, the following process is performed on each sub-blockincluded in the target block (S3214 to S3207).

In S3214, as illustrated in FIG. 14(d), the matching motion deriver30373 acquires a template of each sub-block of the target block. In acase that only the upper or left region of the target block is set tothe template in S3212, the same shape is set to the template of thesub-block in S3214 as well.

In S3206, the matching motion deriver 30373 derives an initial vector ofeach sub-block of the target block (initial vector search). Initialvector candidates of the sub-block are the block-level motion vectorderived in S3205, a motion vector of a neighboring block of thesub-block in the spatial-temporal direction, and an ATMVP or STMVPvector of the sub-block, for example. Among these candidate vectors, avector that leads to the minimum matching cost is used as the initialvector of the sub-block. Note that the vector candidates used for theinitial vector search of the sub-block are not limited to the vectorsdescribed above.

Next, in S3207, the matching motion deriver 30373 performs a step search(local search) around the initial vector of the sub-block selected inS3206. Then, matching costs of the vector candidates in the local regionaround the initial vector of the sub-block (for example, within a searchrange around the initial vector (a region±D pixels)) are derived, and avector that leads to the minimum matching cost is thereby derived as themotion vector of the sub-block. Here, in a case that a vector candidatecoincides with the search range around the initial vector (or outside ofthe search range), the matching motion deriver 30373 does not search thevector candidate.

After the process for all the sub-blocks included in the target blockcompletes, the pattern matched vector derivation process of templatematching ends.

Although the above describes a case that the reference picture is Ref0,template matching can also be performed through the same process asabove even in a case that the reference picture is Ref1. Furthermore, ina case that two reference pictures are used, the motion compensationunit 3091 performs a bi-prediction process by using two derived motionvectors.

fruc_merge_idx output to the motion compensation unit 3091 is derivedaccording to the following expression:fruc_merge_idx=fruc_merge_idx & BM_flag &(TM_flag<<1)  (ExpressionFRUC-8)

Note that, in a case that fruc_merge_idx is notified by the tile decoder2012, BM_flag and TM_flag are derived before the pattern matched vectorderivation process, and only a matching process with a true flag valuemay be performed.BM_flag=fruc_merge_idx & 1TM_flag=(fruc_merge_idx & 10)>>1  (Expression FRUC-9)

Note that, in a case that template matching is turned off because thetemplate is located outside of the tile, there are two options offruc_merge_idx=0 (no matching process) and fruc_merge_idx=1 (bilateralmatching), and thus fruc_merge_idx can be expressed with 1 bit.

Tile Boundary Search Range

In a case that independent coding and decoding of a tile is performed(in a case that independent_tile_flag is 1), a search range D may beconfigured so that pixels outside of the collocated tile are notreferred to in the motion vector search process. For example, the searchrange D in the bilateral matching process and the template matchingprocess may be configured in accordance with the position and the sizeof the target block, or with the position and the size of the targetsub-block.

Specifically, as the range allowing reference only to pixels within thecollocated tile, the matching motion deriver 30373 derives a searchrange D1x located in the left direction with respect to the targetblock, a search range D2x located in the right direction with respect tothe target block, a search range D1y located in the upper direction withrespect to the target block, and a search range D2y located in the lowerdirection with respect to the target block, illustrated in FIG. 48 , asfollows:D1x=xPosX+mvX[0]−xTsD2x=xTS+wT−(xPosX+mvX[0]+W)D1y=yPosX+mvX[1]−yTSD2y=yTS+hT−(yPosX+mvX[1]+H)  (Expression FRUC-11)

As the search range D of the target block, the matching motion deriver30373 configures a minimum value out of D1x, D2x, D1y, and D2ycalculated according to (Expression FRUC-11) and a default search rangeDdef.D=min(D1x,D2x,D1y,D2y,Ddef)  (Expression FRUC-12)

Alternatively, the following derivation method may be used. As the rangeallowing reference only to pixels within the collocated tile, thematching motion deriver 30373 derives the search range D1x located inthe left direction with respect to the target block, the search rangeD2x located in the right direction with respect to the target block, thesearch range D1y located in the upper direction with respect to thetarget block, and the search range D2y located in the lower directionwith respect to the target block, illustrated in FIG. 48 , as follows:D1x=clip3(0,Ddef,xPosX+mvX[0]−xTs)D2x=clip3(0,Ddef,xTS+wT−(xPosX+mvX[0]+W))D1y=clip3(0,Ddef,yPosX+mvX[1]−yTS)D2y=clip3(0,Ddef,yTS+hT−(yPosX+mvX[1]+H))  (Expression FRUC-11b)

As the search range D of the target block, the matching motion deriver30373 configures a minimum value out of D1x, D2x, D1y, and D2ycalculated according to (Expression FRUC-11b).D=min(D1x,D2x,D1y,D2y)  (Expression FRUC-12b)

Note that, by further using a configuration of padding the tile boundarywith a fixed value, the following expression may be used instead of(Expression FRUC-11) and (Expression FRUC-11b).D1x=xPosX+mvX[0]−(xTs−xPad)D2x=xTS+wT+xPad−(xPosX+mvX[0]+W)D1y=yPosX+mvX[1]−(yTS−yPad)D2y=yTS+hT+yPad−(yPosX+mvX[1]+H)  (Expression FRUC-13)

where xPad and yPad respectively represent width and height of thepadding.

Alternatively, the following expression may be used.D1x=clip3(0,Ddef,xPosX+mvX[0]−(xTs−xPad))D2x=clip3(0,Ddef,xTS+wT+xPad−(xPosX+mvX[0]+W))D1y=clip3(0,Ddef,yPosX+mvX[1]−(yTS−yPad))D2y=clip3(0,Ddef,yTS+hT+yPad−(yPosX+mvX[1]+H))  (Expression FRUC-13b)

In the matching process, even in a case that the template is locatedoutside of the tile, or in a case that the motion vectors point to theoutside of the tile, the reference pixel can be replaced with a pixelvalue within the tile, by deriving motion vectors and then generating aprediction image as described above. As a result, decrease in thefrequency of using the matching process can be prevented, and interprediction can be independently performed on the tiles. Therefore,coding efficiency can be enhanced.

OBMC Process

The motion compensation unit 3091 according to the present embodimentmay generate a prediction image by means of an OBMC process. Here, anOverlapped block motion compensation (OBMC) process will be described.The OBMC process is a process of generating a compensation image (motioncompensation image) of a target block, by using a compensation imagePredC of a target sub-block generated using inter prediction parameters(hereinafter motion parameters) of the target block and a compensationimage PredRN of the target block generated using motion parameters ofneighboring blocks of the target sub-block. A process of correcting acompensation image of the target block is performed for each sub-block,by using the compensation image PredRN based on the motion parameters ofneighboring blocks in pixels (boundary pixels) present within the targetblock close to the block boundary.

FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating an example of a region in which aprediction image is generated by using motion parameters of neighboringblocks according to the present embodiment. Because the motionparameters within a block are the same in prediction per block, asillustrated in FIG. 33(a), the OBMC process applies to the pixels of thehatched sub-blocks present within a prescribed distance from the blockboundary. Because the motion parameters are different for each sub-blockin prediction per sub-block, as illustrated in FIG. 33(b), the OBMCprocess applies to the pixels of each of the sub-blocks.

Note that it is desirable that the OBMC process be performed for eachsub-block obtained by splitting a block, because the shapes of thetarget block and the neighboring blocks are not necessarily the same.The size of the sub-block can have various values, from 4×4, 8×8, up tothe block size.

Flow of OBMC Process

FIG. 34 is a flowchart illustrating a parameter derivation processperformed by the OBMC predictor 30374 according to the presentembodiment.

The OBMC predictor 30374 determines the presence/absence andavailability of neighboring blocks, which are neighbors of the targetsub-block in each of directions of the upper side, the left side, thelower side, and the right side. In FIG. 34 , a process for all thesub-blocks is first performed for each of the upper direction, the leftdirection, the lower direction, and the right direction, and then theprocess transitions to a process for the next direction; however, aprocess may be first performed in all the directions for a certainsub-block, and then the process may transition to a process for the nextsub-block. In FIG. 34 , regarding the directions of the neighboringblocks with respect to the target sub-block, i=1 represents the upperside, i=2 represents the left side, i=3 represents the lower side, andi=4 represents the right side.

First, the OBMC predictor 30374 checks the necessity of the OBMC processand the presence/absence of neighboring blocks (S3401). In a case thatprediction is performed for each block and that the target sub-blockdoes not touch the block boundary in the direction indicated by i, thereare no neighboring blocks necessary for the OBMC process (N in S3401),and thus the process proceeds to S3404, and flag obmc_flag[i] is set to0. Otherwise (in a case that prediction is performed for each block andthat the target sub-block touches the block boundary, or in a case thatthe process is performed for each sub-block), there is a neighboringblock necessary for the OBMC process (Y in S3401), and thus the processproceeds to S3402.

For example, a sub-block SCU1 [3][0] of FIG. 33(a) does not touch theblock boundary on its left side, lower side, and right side, and thusobmc_flag[2]=0, obmc_flag[3]=0, and obmc_flag[4]=0. A sub-block SCU2[0][2] does not touch the block boundary on its upper side, lower side,and right side, and thus obmc_flag[1]=0, obmc_flag[3]=0, andobmc_flag[4]=0. White sub-blocks are sub-blocks that do not touch theblock boundary at all, and thusobmc_flag[1]=obmc_flag[2]=obmc_flag[3]=obmc_flag[4]=0.

Next, as availability of a neighboring block, the OBMC predictor 30374checks whether a neighboring block in the direction indicated by i is anintra prediction block or a block outside of the tile (S3402). In a casethat the neighboring block is an intra prediction block or a blockoutside of the tile (Y in S3402), the process proceeds to S3404, andobmc_flag[i] of a corresponding direction i is set to 0. Otherwise (in acase that the neighboring block is an inter prediction block and a blockwithin the tile) (N in S3402), the process proceeds to S3403.

For example, in a case of FIG. 33(c), a left neighboring block of atarget sub-block SCU3 [0][0] of a target block CU3 within the tile islocated outside of the tile, and thus obmc_flag[2] of the targetsub-block SCU3 [0][0] is set to 0. An upper neighboring block of atarget sub-block SCU4 [3][0] of a target block CU4 within the tile issubjected to intra prediction, and thus obmc_flag[1] of the targetsub-block SCU4 [3][0] is set to 0.

Next, as availability of the neighboring block, the OBMC predictor 30374checks whether the motion parameters of the neighboring block in thedirection indicated by i and the target sub-block are the same (S3403).In a case that the motion parameters are the same (Y in S3403), theprocess proceeds to S3404, and obmc_flag[i] is set to 0(obmc_flag[i]=0). Otherwise (in a case that the motion parameters aredifferent) (N in S3403), the process proceeds to S3405.

Whether or not the motion parameters of the sub-block and theneighboring block are the same is determined according to the followingexpression:((mvLX[0]!=mvLXRN[0])∥(mvLX[1]!=mvLXRN[1])∥(refIdxLX!=refIdxLXRN))?  (ExpressionOBMC-1)

where (mvLX[0], mvLX[1]) represents a motion vector of the targetsub-block within the tile, refIdxLX represents a reference picture indexthereof, (mvLXRN[0], mvLXRN[1]) represents a motion vector of theneighboring block in the direction indicated by i, and refIdxLXRNrepresents a reference picture index thereof.

For example, in FIG. 33(c), in a case that the motion vector and thereference picture index are the same, e.g., in a case that((mvLX[0]==mvLXRN[0]) && (mvLX[1]==mvLXRN[1]) && (refIdxLX==refIdxLXRN))is true, obmc_flag[2] of the target sub-block is 0 (obmc_flag[2]=0),where (mvLX[0], mvLX[1]) represents a motion vector of a targetsub-block SCU4 [0][0], refIdxLX represents a reference picture indexthereof, (mvLXR2 [0], mvLXR2 [1]) represents a motion vector of a leftneighboring block, and refIdxLXR2 represents a reference picture indexthereof.

Note that, although the above expression uses a motion vector and areference picture index, determination may be performed by using amotion vector and a POC as in the following expression:((mvLX[0]!=mvLXRN[0])∥(mvLX[1]!=mvLXRN[1])∥(refPOC!=refPOCRN))?  (ExpressionOBMC-2)

where refPOC represents a POC of a target sub-block, and refPOCRNrepresents a POC of a neighboring block.

Next, the OBMC predictor 30374 determines whether or not all the regionspointed by the motion vectors of the neighboring blocks are presentwithin the tile (in the reference picture, a part or all of blocks atpositions shifted from the collocated block by mvN (N=0 . . . 4) are notpresent within the collocated tile) (S3405). In a case that all theregions pointed by the motion vectors are present within the tile (Y inS3405), the process proceeds to S3407. Otherwise (in a case that atleast a part of the regions pointed by the motion vectors is presentoutside of the tile) (N in S3405), the process proceeds to S3406.

In a case that the motion vector of the neighboring block points to theoutside of the tile, any one of Processes 3 described below is performed(S3406).

[Process 3A] Tile Boundary Padding

The motion compensation unit 3091 performs tile boundary padding. Thetile boundary padding (out-of-tile padding) is, as described above,implemented by clipping a reference position, at positions of upper,lower, right, and left boundary pixels of the tile. For example, areference pixel (xRef, yRef) of the sub-block is derived according tothe following expression:xRef+i=Clip3(xTs,xTs+wT−BW,xs+(MvLXRN[0]>>log 2(M)))yRef+j=Clip3(yTs,yTs+hT−BH,ys+(MvLXRN[1]>>log 2(M)))  (ExpressionOBMC-3)

where (xs, ys) represents upper left coordinates of the target sub-blockwith respect to upper left coordinates of the picture, BW and BHrespectively represent width and height of the target sub-block, (xTs,yTs) represents upper left coordinates of the target tile at which thetarget sub-block is located, wT and hT respectively represent width andheight of the target tile, and (MvLXRN[0], MvLXRN[1]) represents amotion vector of the neighboring block.

[Process 3B] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Restriction

Clipping is performed so that the motion vector MvLXRN of theneighboring block does not refer to the outside of the tile.

[Process 3C] Tile Boundary Motion Vector Replacement (Alternative MotionVector Replacement)

A motion vector is copied from a neighboring sub-block that has a motionvector pointing to the inside of the collocated tile.

[Process 3D] Turn Off Tile Boundary OBMC

In a case that a reference image is referred to by the motion vector(MvLXRN[0], MvLXRN[1]) of the neighboring block in the direction i andit is determined that this reference points to the outside of thecollocated tile, obmc_flag[i] is set to 0 (obmc_flag[i]=0) (the OBMCprocess is not performed in the direction i). In this case, the processproceeds forward by skipping S3407.

Note that, in Process 3, the tile encoder 2002 and the tile decoder 2012need to select the same process.

In a case that the motion vector of the neighboring block points to theinside of the tile, or in a case that Process 3 is performed, the OBMCpredictor 30374 sets obmc_flag[i]=1 (S3407).

Next, after the OBMC predictor 30374 performs the process of S3401 toS3407 described above for all the directions (i=1 to 4) of thesub-blocks, the process ends.

The OBMC predictor 30374 outputs the prediction parameters (obmc_flagand the motion parameters of the neighboring block of each sub-block)derived in the above to the inter prediction image generator 309. Theinter prediction image generator 309 refers to obmc_flag to determinethe necessity of the OBMC process, and performs the OBMC process for thetarget block (details thereof will be described in Motion Compensation).

Note that, in a case that there is obmc_flag notified from the tileencoder 2002, the tile decoder 2012 may set notified obmc_flag toobmc_flag[i], and may perform the above process only in a case ofobmc_flag[i]=1.

BTM

A BTM predictor 3038 uses a prediction image generated using abi-directional motion vector derived by the merge prediction parameterderiver 3036 as a template, performs a bilateral template matching (BTM)process, and thereby derives a motion vector with high accuracy.

Example of Motion Vector Derivation Process

In a case that two motion vectors derived in the merge mode point to adirection opposite to the target block, the BTM predictor 3038 performsthe bilateral template matching (BTM) process.

The bilateral template matching (BTM) process will be described withreference to FIG. 35 . FIG. 35(a) is a diagram illustrating arelationship between a reference picture and a template in BTMprediction, FIG. 35(b) is a diagram illustrating a flow of the process,and FIG. 35(c) is a diagram illustrating a template in BTM prediction.

As illustrated in FIGS. 35(a) and 35(c), first, the BTM predictor 3038generates a prediction block of a target block Cur_block, based onmultiple motion vectors (for example, mvL0 and mvL1) derived by themerge prediction parameter deriver 3036, and uses the generatedprediction block as a template. Specifically, a prediction blockCur_Temp is generated based on a motion compensation image predL0generated based on mvL0 and a motion compensation image predL1 generatedbased on mvL1.Cur_Temp[x][y]=Clip3(0,(1<<bitDepth)−1,(predL0[x][y]+predL1[x][y]+1)>>1)  (ExpressionBTM-1)

Next, within a range±D pixels around each of mvL0 and mvL1 (initialvector), the BTM predictor 3038 configures motion vector candidates, andderives matching costs between each of the motion compensation imagesPredL0 and PredL1 generated by the motion vector candidates and thetemplate. Then, vectors mvL0′ and mvL1′ that lead to the minimummatching cost are used as updated motion vectors of the target block.Note that a search range is restricted to a range within the collocatedtile on the reference pictures Ref0 and Ref1.

Next, the flow of BTM prediction will be described with reference toFIG. 35(b). First, the BTM predictor 3038 acquires a template (S3501).The template is, as described above, generated based on the motionvectors (for example, mvL0 and mvL1) derived by the merge predictionparameter deriver 3036. Next, the BTM predictor 3038 performs a localsearch within the collocated tile. The local search may be performed ina manner of repeatedly performing searches of multiple differentaccuracies, as in S3502 to S3505. For example, the local search isperformed in the order of an M-pixel accuracy search L0 process (S3502),an N-pixel accuracy search L0 process (S3503), an M-pixel accuracysearch L1 process (S3504), and an N-pixel accuracy search L1 process(S3505). Here, M>N, and for example, M may be 1-pixel accuracy(M=1-pixel accuracy) and N may be ½-pixel accuracy (N=½-pixel accuracy).

In an M-pixel accuracy LX search process (X=0 . . . 1), a search isperformed around coordinates indicated by mvLX, within the tile. In anN-pixel accuracy search LX process, a search is performed aroundcoordinates that lead to the minimum matching cost in the M-pixelaccuracy search LX process, within the tile.

Note that the tile boundary may be padded and extended in advance. Inthis case, the motion compensation unit 3091 performs a padding processin a similar manner.

In order to allow independent decoding of each tile in a case thatindependent_tile_flag is 1, as expressed in (Expression FRUC-11) to(Expression FRUC-13), the search range D may be adaptively changed sothat pixels outside of the collocated tile are not referred to in themotion vector search process. In the BTM process, (mvX[0], mvX[1]) of(Expression FRUC-11) and (Expression FRUC-13) is replaced by (mvLX[0],mvLX[1]).

By modifying the motion vectors derived in the merge mode as in themanner described above, a prediction image can be improved. Moreover, byrestricting the modified motion vectors to a range within the tile,decrease in the frequency of using the bilateral template matchingprocess can be prevented, and inter prediction can be independentlyperformed on the tiles. Therefore, coding efficiency can be enhanced.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the AMVPprediction parameter deriver 3032 according to the present embodiment.The AMVP prediction parameter deriver 3032 includes a vector candidatederiver 3033, a vector candidate selection unit 3034, and a vectorcandidate storage 3036. The vector candidate deriver 3033 derivesprediction vector candidates from the motion vector mvLX of a processedPU stored in the prediction parameter memory 307, based on the referencepicture index refIdx, and stores the derived prediction vectorcandidates in the prediction vector candidate list mvpListLX[ ] of thevector candidate storage 3036.

The vector candidate selection unit 3034 selects a motion vectormvpListLX[mvp_lX_idx] indicated by the prediction vector indexmvp_lX_idx among the prediction vector candidates in the predictionvector candidate list mvpListLX[ ], as the prediction vector mvpLX. Thevector candidate selection unit 3034 outputs the selected predictionvector mvpLX to the addition unit 3035.

Note that the prediction vector candidates are derived by scaling motionvectors of PUs that have been subjected to a decoding process and thatare located within a predetermined range with respect to a decodingtarget PU (for example, the PUs are neighboring PUs). Note that theneighboring PUs include spatial neighboring PUs of the decoding targetPU, such as a left PU and an upper PU, as well as temporal neighboringregions of the decoding target PU, such as a region obtained from aprediction parameter of a PU with different display time and includingthe same position as the position of the decoding target PU. Note that,as described in derivation of temporal merge candidates, by changing theposition of the lower right block of the collocated block to the lowerright position within the tile illustrated in FIG. 21(f), the tilesequence can be independently decoded by means of AMVP predictionwithout reducing coding efficiency in a case of independent_tile_flag=1.

The addition unit 3035 calculates a motion vector mvLX by adding theprediction vector mvpLX input from the AMVP prediction parameter deriver3032 and the difference vector mvdLX input from the inter predictionparameter decoding controller 3031. The addition unit 3035 outputs thecalculated motion vector mvLX to the prediction image generator 308 andthe prediction parameter memory 307.

Note that, instead of directly outputting the motion vector derived bythe merge prediction parameter deriver 3036 to the inter predictionimage generator 309, the motion vector may be output through the BTMpredictor 3038.

LIC Predictor 3039

Local Illumination Compensation (LIC) prediction is a process ofperforming linear prediction for a pixel value of a target blockCur_block, based on pixel values of neighboring regions Ref_Temp (FIG.36(a)) in a region on the reference picture pointed by a motion vectorderived in merge prediction, sub-block prediction, AMVP prediction, orthe like, and pixel values of neighboring regions Cur_Temp (FIG. 36(b))of the target block. A combination of a scaling coefficient a and anoffset b that leads to a minimum square error SSD between a predictionvalue Cur_Temp′ of the neighboring region of the target block calculatedbased on the neighboring region Ref_Temp in the region on the referencepicture and the neighboring region Cur_Temp of the target block iscalculated as in the following expression:Cur_Temp′[ ][ ]=a*Ref_Temp[ ][ ]+bSSD=ΣΣ(Cur_Temp′[x][y]−Cur_Temp[x][y]){circumflex over( )}2  (Expression LIC-1)

where ΣΣ represents a sum with respect to x and y.

Note that, in FIG. 36 , pixel values used to calculate a and b aresub-sampled, but all the pixel values within a region may be usedwithout being sub-sampled.

In a case that a part of the region of either one of the neighboringregion Cur_Temp of the target block and the neighboring region Ref_Tempof the reference block is located outside of the tile or the collocatedtile, only pixels within the tile or the collocated tile may be used.For example, in a case that an upper neighboring region of the referenceblock is located outside of the collocated tile, Cur_Temp and Ref_Tempuse only pixels of a left neighboring region of the target block and thereference block. For example, in a case that a left neighboring regionof the reference block is located outside of the collocated tile,Cur_Temp and Ref_Temp may use only pixels of an upper neighboring regionof the target block and the reference block.

Alternatively, in a case that a part of the region of either one of theneighboring region Cur_Temp of the target block and the neighboringregion Ref_Temp of the reference block is located outside of the tile orthe collocated tile, LIC prediction may be turned off, and the motioncompensation unit 3091 need not perform LIC prediction.

Alternatively, in a case that a part of the region of either one of theneighboring region Cur_Temp of the target block and the neighboringregion Ref_Temp of the reference block is located outside of the tile orthe collocated tile, the region may be set by using pixels within thetile or the collocated tile, on a condition that the size of the regionincluded in the tile or the collocated tile is larger than a threshold.Otherwise, LIC prediction may be turned off. For example, in a case thatan upper neighboring region of the reference block is located outside ofthe collocated tile, and a threshold TH is 16 (threshold TH=16),Cur_Temp and Ref_Temp use pixels of a left neighboring region of thetarget block and the reference block, on a condition that the height Hof the target block is larger than 16. In this case, LIC prediction isturned off, on a condition that the height H of the target block isequal to or less than 16.

Note that pixels to be used may be sub-sampled, or all the pixel valueswithin a region may be used without being sub-sampled.

In these processes, the tile encoder 2002 and the tile decoder 2012 needto select the same process.

The calculated a and b are output to the motion compensation unit 3091,together with the motion vector and the like.

Inter Prediction Image Generator 309

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the interprediction image generator 309 included in the prediction imagegenerator 308 according to the present embodiment. The inter predictionimage generator 309 includes a motion compensation unit (predictionimage generation device) 3091 and a weighted predictor 3094.

Motion Compensation

Based on the inter prediction parameters (a prediction list use flagpredFlagLX, a reference picture index refIdxLX, a motion vector mvLX, anon/off flag, and the like) input from the inter prediction parameterdecoder 303, the motion compensation unit 3091 reads from the referencepicture memory 306 a block located at the position shifted by the motionvector mvLX from the position of the decoding target PU in the referencepicture RefX indicated by the reference picture index refIdxLX, andthereby generates a compensation image (motion compensation image).Here, in a case that accuracy of the motion vector mvLX is not integeraccuracy, a filter, called a motion compensation filter, for generatingpixels at fractional positions is applied to generate a motioncompensation image.

In a case that the motion vector mvLX or the motion vector mvLXN inputto the motion compensation unit 3091 is 1/M-pixel accuracy (M is anatural number of 2 or greater), an interpolation filter is applied togenerate a compensation image, based on a pixel value of the referencepicture at an integer pixel position. Specifically, a compensation imagePred[ ][ ] (described above) is generated based on product-sum operationof an NTAP-tap interpolation filter coefficient mcFilter[nFrac][k] (k=0. . . NTAP−1) corresponding to a phase nFrac and a pixel of thereference picture.

First, the motion compensation unit 3091 derives an integer position(xInt, yInt) and a phase (xFrac, yFrac) corresponding to coordinates (x,y) within the prediction block, according to the following expression:xInt=xb+(mvLX[0]>>(log 2(M)))+xxFrac=mvLX[0]&(M−1)yInt=yb+(mvLX[1]>>(log 2(M)))+yyFrac=mvLX[1]&(M−1)  (Expression INTER-1)

where (xb, yb) represents upper left coordinates of a block, x=0 . . .nW−1, y=0 . . . nH−1, and M represents accuracy (1/M-pixel accuracy) ofthe motion vector mvLX.

The motion compensation unit 3091 performs a horizontal interpolationprocess by using an interpolation filter for a reference picture refImgto derive a temporary image temp[ ][ ]. In the following expression, Σrepresents a sum with respect to k for k=0 . . . NTAP−1, shift1represents a normalization parameter for adjusting a range of a value,and offset1=1<<(shift1−1).temp[x][y]=(ΣmcFilter[xFrac][k]*refImg[xInt+k−NTAP/2+1][yInt]+offset1)>>shift1  (ExpressionINTER-2)

Note that padding (described later) is performed in a case that a pixelrefImg[xInt+k−NTAP/2+1][yInt] on the reference picture is referred to.

Subsequently, the motion compensation unit 3091 performs a verticalinterpolation process for the temporary image temp[ ][ ] to derive acompensation image Pred[ ][ ]. In the following expression, Σ representsa sum with respect to k for k=0 . . . NTAP−1, shift2 represents anormalization parameter for adjusting a range of a value, andoffset2=1<<(shift2−1).Pred[x][y]=(ΣmcFilter[yFrac][k]*temp[x][y+k−NTAP/2+1]+offset2)>>shift2  (ExpressionINTER-3)

Note that, in a case of bi-prediction, above Pred[ ][ ] is derived foreach of the lists L0 and L1 (respectively referred to as compensationimages PredL0[ ][ ] and PredL1[ ][ ]), and the compensation image Pred[][ ] is generated based on the compensation image PredL0[ ][ ] and thecompensation image PredL1[ ][ ].

Note that, in a case that at least a part of the input motion vectormvLX and motion vector mvLXN points to the outside of the collocatedtile of the tile where the target block is located, inter prediction canbe independently performed for the tile by padding the tile boundary inadvance.

Padding

In (Expression INTER-2) described above, the pixelrefImg[xInt+k−NTAP/2+1][yInt] on the reference picture is referred to;however, in a case that an actually non-existent pixel value outside ofa picture is referred to, the following picture boundary padding(out-of-picture padding) is performed. The picture boundary padding isimplemented by using a pixel value refImg[xRef+i][yRef+j] of thefollowing position xRef+i, yRef+j for the pixel value of a position(xIntL+i, yIntL+j) of the reference pixel.xRef+i=Clip3(0,pic_width_in_luma_samples−1,xIntL+i)yRef+j=Clip3(0,pic_height_in_luma_samples−1,yIntL+j)  (Expression PAD-3)

Note that, instead of the picture boundary padding (Expression PAD-3),the tile boundary padding (Expression PAD-1) may be performed.

OBMC Compensation Image Generation

In OBMC, two types of compensation images, i.e., a compensation image ofa target sub-block derived based on inter prediction parameters of atarget block and a compensation image derived based on inter predictionparameters of a neighboring block, are generated, and then acompensation image to be finally used for prediction is generatedthrough a weighted addition process of these two compensation images.The compensation image of the target sub-block derived based on theinter prediction parameters of the target block is herein referred to asa compensation image PredC (first OBMC compensation image), and thecompensation image derived based on the inter prediction parameters ofthe neighboring block is herein referred to as a compensation imagePredRN (second OBMC compensation image). Note that N represents any oneof the upper side (A), the left side (L), the lower side (B), and theright side (R) of the target sub-block. In a case that the OBMC processis not performed (OBMC off), the compensation image PredC is directlyused as the motion compensation image PredLX of the target sub-block. Ina case that the OBMC process is performed (OBMC on), the motioncompensation image PredLX of the target sub-block is generated based onthe compensation image PredC and the compensation image PredRN.

The motion compensation unit 3091 generates a compensation image, basedon the inter prediction parameters (a prediction list use flagpredFlagLX, a reference picture index refIdxLX, a motion vector mvLX,and an OBMC flag obmc_flag) of the target sub-block input from the interprediction parameter decoder 303.

FIG. 34(b) is a flowchart illustrating operation of compensation imagegeneration in OBMC prediction performed by the motion compensation unit3091.

First, the motion compensation unit 3091 generates a compensation imagePredC[x][y] (x=0 . . . BW−1, y=0 . . . BH−1), based on predictionparameters (S3411).

Next, whether or not obmc_flag[i] is 1 (obmc_flag[i]=1) is determined(S3413). In a case of obmc_flag[i]=0 (N in S3413), the process proceedsfor the next direction (i=i+1). In a case of obmc_flag[i]=1 (Y inS3413), a compensation image PredRN[x][y] is generated (S3414).Specifically, only for the sub-block in the direction indicated by ithat satisfies obmc_flag[i]=1, the compensation image PredRN[x][y] (x=0. . . BW−1, y=0 . . . BH−1) is generated based on a prediction list useflag predFlagLX[xPbN][yPbN], a reference picture indexrefIdxLX[xPbN][yPbN], and a motion vector mvLX[xPbN][yPbN] of theneighboring block that are input from the inter prediction parameterdecoder 303 (S3414), a weighted average process for the compensationimage PredC[x][y] and the compensation image PredRN[x][y] (describedbelow) is performed (S3415), and the compensation image PredLX isgenerated (S3416). Note that (xPbN, yPbN) represents upper leftcoordinates of the neighboring block.

Next, a weighted average process is performed (S3415).

In the configuration of performing the OBMC process, the motioncompensation unit 3091 performs a weighted average process for thecompensation image PredC[x][y] and the compensation image PredRN[x][y],and thereby updates the compensation image PredC[x][y]. Specifically, ina case that the OBMC flag obmc_flag[i] input from the inter predictionparameter decoder 303 is 1 (OBMC flag obmc_flag[i]=1) (OBMC process isenabled), the motion compensation unit 3091 performs the followingweighted average process for S pixels at the sub-block boundary in thedirection indicated by i.PredC[x][y]=((w1*PredC[x][y]+w2*PredRN[x][y])+o)>>shift  (ExpressionINTER-4)

Here, weights w1 and w2 of the weighted average process will bedescribed. The weights w1 and w2 of the weighted average process aredetermined according to the distance (the number of pixels) between thesub-block boundary and the target pixel. The relationship ofw1+w2=(1<<shift) and o=1<<(shift−1) holds.

In the OBMC process, a prediction image is generated by usingcompensation images of multiple neighboring blocks. Here, a method ofupdating PredC[x][y] based on motion parameters of multiple neighboringblocks will be described.

First, in a case of obmc_flag[1]=1, the motion compensation unit 3091applies a compensation image PredRA[x][y], which is generated by usingmotion parameters of an upper neighboring block, to a compensation imagePredC[x][y] of a target sub-block, and thereby updates PredC[x][y].PredC[x][y]=((w1*PredC[x][y]+w2*PredRA[x][y])+o)>>shift  (ExpressionINTER-5)

Next, for the direction i satisfying obmc_flag[i]=1, the motioncompensation unit 3091 sequentially updates PredC[x][y] by usingcompensation images PredRL[x][y], PredRL[x][y], and PredRL[x][y], whichare generated by using motion parameters of left (i=2), lower (i=3), andright (i=4) neighboring blocks of the target sub-block. Specifically,the update is performed according to the following expression:PredC[x][y]=((w1*PredC[x][y]+w2*PredRL[x][y])+o)>>shiftPredC[x][y]=((w1*PredC[x][y]+w2*PredRB[x][y])+o)>>shiftPredC[x][y]=((w1*PredC[x][y]+w2*PredRR[x][y])+o)>>shift  (ExpressionINTER-6)

In a case of obmc_flag[0]=0, or for i=1 to 4, the above process isperformed, and then PredC[x][y] is set to the prediction imagePredLX[x][y] (S3416).PredLX[x][y]=PredC[x][y]  (Expression INTER-7)

As described above, the motion compensation unit 3091 can generate aprediction image in consideration of motion parameters of theneighboring blocks of the target sub-block. Therefore, in the OBMCprocess, a prediction image with high prediction accuracy can begenerated.

The number S of pixels at the sub-block boundary updated in the OBMCprocess may be any number (S=2 to the block size). A split manner for ablock including a sub-block to be subjected to the OBMC process may beany split manner, such as 2N×N, N×2N, and N×N.

Even in a case that a motion vector of the sub-block points to theoutside of the tile, the reference pixel can be replaced by using apixel value within the tile, by deriving OBMC motion vectors and thengenerating a prediction image as described above. As a result, decreasein the frequency of using the OBMC process can be prevented, and interprediction can be independently performed on the tiles. Therefore,coding efficiency can be enhanced.

LIC Compensation Image Generation

In LIC, the compensation image Pred of the target block derivedaccording to (Expression INTER-3) is modified by using the scalingcoefficient a and the offset b calculated by the LIC predictor 3039, anda prediction image PredLX is thereby generated.PredLX[x][y]=Pred[x][y]*a+b  (Expression INTER-8)Weighted Prediction

The weighted predictor 3094 multiplies the input motion compensationimage PredLX by a weighting coefficient, and thereby generates aprediction image of the target block. In a case that one of theprediction list use flags (predFlagL0 or predFlagL1) is 1 (in a case ofuni-prediction), and weighted prediction is not used, a process of thefollowing expression for adjusting the input motion compensation imagePredLX (LX is L0 or L1) to the number bitDepth of pixel bits isperformed.Pred[x][y]=Clip3(0,(1<<bitDepth)−1,(PredLX[x][y]+offset1)>>shift1)  (Expression INTER-9)

where shift1=14−bitDepth, and offset1=1<<(shift1−1).

In a case that both of the prediction list use flags (predFlagL0 andpredFlagL1) are 1 (in a case of bi-prediction BiPred), and weightedprediction is not used, a process of the following expression foraveraging the input motion compensation images PredL0 and PredL1 andadjusting to the number of pixel bits is performed.Pred[x][y]=Clip3(0,(1<<bitDepth)−1,(PredL0[x][y]+PredL1[x][y]+offset2)>>shift2)  (ExpressionINTER-10)

where shift2=15−bitDepth, and offset2=1<<(shift2−1).

Furthermore, in a case of uni-prediction, and that weighted predictionis performed, the weighted predictor 3094 derives a weighted predictioncoefficient w0 and an offset o0 from coded data, and performs a processof the following expression:Pred[x][y]=Clip3(0,(1<<bitDepth)−1,((PredLX[x][y]*w0+2{circumflex over( )}(log 2WD−1))>>log 2WD)+o0)  (Expression INTER-11)

where log 2WD represents a variable indicating a prescribed shiftamount.

Furthermore, in a case of bi-prediction BiPred, and that weightedprediction is performed, the weighted predictor 3094 derives weightedprediction coefficients w0, w1, o0, and o1 from coded data, and performsa process of the following expression:Pred[x][y]=Clip3(0,(1<<bitDepth)−1,(PredL0[x][y]*w0+PredL1[x][y]*w1+((o0+o1+1)<<log2WD))>>(log 2WD+1))  (Expression INTER-12)Motion Vector Decoding Process

A motion vector decoding process according to the present embodimentwill be specifically described below with reference to FIG. 9 .

As is apparent from the above description, the motion vector decodingprocess according to the present embodiment includes a process ofdecoding syntax elements associated with inter prediction (also referredto as a motion syntax decoding process), and a process of deriving amotion vector (motion vector derivation process).

Motion Syntax Decoding Process

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of an inter prediction syntaxdecoding process performed by the inter prediction parameter decodingcontroller 3031. In the following description concerning the descriptionof FIG. 9 , each process is performed by the inter prediction parameterdecoding controller 3031, unless otherwise specifically noted.

First, in Step S101, a merge flag merge_flag is decoded, and in StepS102, whether or not merge_flag is 0 (merge_flag!=0) is determined.

In a case that merge_flag!=0 is true (Y in S102), in S103, a merge indexmerge_idx is decoded, and a motion vector derivation process of themerge mode (S111) is performed.

In a case that merge_flag!=0 is false (N in S102), in S104, an interprediction indicator inter_pred_idc is decoded.

In a case that inter_pred_idc is other than PRED_L1 (PRED_L0 orPRED_BI), a reference picture index ref_idx_l0, a parameter mvdL0 of adifference vector, and a prediction vector index mvp_l0_idx are decodedrespectively in S105, S106, and S107.

In a case that inter_pred_idc is other than PRED_L0 (PRED_L1 orPRED_BI), a reference picture index ref_idx_l1, a parameter mvdL1 of adifference vector, and a prediction vector index mvp_l1_idx are decodedrespectively in S108, S109, and S110. Subsequently, a motion vectorderivation process of the AMVP mode (S112) is performed.

Owing to the configuration as described above, the image decoding device2000 can independently decode the tiles for each tile sequence in a casethat a value of independent_tile_flag is 1. A system of guaranteeingindependence of decoding of each tile is introduced in each individualtool, and therefore decrease in coding efficiency can be prevented, andeach tile can be independently decoded in a video. As a result, decodingcan be performed in a selected region necessary for display or the like,and therefore a processing amount can be reduced in a great degree.

Configuration of Image Encoding Device

FIG. 20(b) illustrates a video encoding device 2020 according to thepresent invention. The video encoding device 2020 includes a picturesplitter 2010, a header information generator 2011, tile encoders 2012 ato 2012 n, and a coding stream generator 2013.

The picture splitter 2010 splits a picture into non-overlapping multipletiles, and transmits the tiles to the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n.The header information generator 2011 generates tile information (a TileId, the number of splits of the tile, and information related to thesize) from the split tiles, and transmits the tile information as headerinformation to the coding stream generator 2013.

The tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n code each tile. The tile encoders2012 a to 2012 n also code the tiles for each tile sequence. In thismanner, according to the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n, tiles can besubjected to a coding process in parallel.

Here, the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n perform a coding process forthe tile sequence in a similar manner to that for one independent videosequence, and do not either temporally or spatially refer to predictioninformation of a tile sequence with a different Tile ID in a case ofperforming the coding process. Specifically, in a case of coding a tilewithin a certain picture, the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n do noteither spatially or temporally refer to another tile.

The coding stream generator 2013 generates a coding stream Te for eachNAL unit, based on the header information including the tile informationtransmitted from the header information generator 2011, and the tilescoded by the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n.

In this manner, the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n can independentlycode each tile. As a result, multiple tiles can be subjected to a codingprocess in parallel, a decoding device can perform a decoding processfor multiple tiles in parallel, or only one tile can be independentlydecoded.

Configuration of Tile Encoder

Next, a configuration of the tile encoders 2012 a to 2012 n will bedescribed. As an example, a configuration of the tile encoder 2012 awill be described below with reference to FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 is a blockdiagram illustrating a configuration of 2012, which is one of the tileencoders 2012 a to 2012 n. FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating aconfiguration of the tile encoder 2012 according to the presentembodiment. The tile encoder 2012 includes a prediction image generator101, a subtraction unit 102, a transform processing and quantizationunit 103, an entropy encoder 104, an inverse quantization and inversetransform processing unit 105, an addition unit 106, a loop filter 107,a prediction parameter memory (a prediction parameter storage, a framememory) 108, a reference picture memory (a reference image storage unit,a frame memory) 109, a coding parameter determiner 110, and a predictionparameter encoder 111. The prediction parameter encoder 111 includes aninter prediction parameter encoder 112 and an intra prediction parameterencoder 113. Note that the tile encoder 2012 may not include the loopfilter 107.

For each picture of an image T, the prediction image generator 101generates a prediction image P of a prediction unit PU for each codingunit CU that is a region where the picture is split. Here, theprediction image generator 101 reads a block that has been decoded fromthe reference picture memory 109, based on a prediction parameter inputfrom the prediction parameter encoder 111. For example, in a case of aninter prediction, the prediction parameter input from the predictionparameter encoder 111 is a motion vector. The prediction image generator101 reads a block in a position in a reference picture indicated by amotion vector starting from a target PU. In a case of an intraprediction, the prediction parameter is, for example, an intraprediction mode. The prediction image generator 101 reads a pixel valueof a neighboring PU used in an intra prediction mode from the referencepicture memory 109, and generates the prediction image P of a PU. Theprediction image generator 101 generates the prediction image P of a PUby using one prediction scheme among multiple prediction schemes for theread reference picture block. The prediction image generator 101 outputsthe generated prediction image P of the PU to the subtraction unit 102.

Note that the prediction image generator 101 is an operation the same asthe prediction image generator 308 already described. For example, FIG.6 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an interprediction image generator 1011 included in the prediction imagegenerator 101. The inter prediction image generator 1011 includes amotion compensation unit 10111 and a weight predictor 10112.Descriptions about the motion compensation unit 10111 and the weightpredictor 10112 are omitted since the motion compensation unit 10111 andthe weight predictor 10112 have configurations similar to those of theabove-mentioned motion compensation unit 3091 and weight predictor 3094,respectively. The padding process at the tile boundary is also the sameoperation as the operation of the prediction image generator 308, andthus description is herein omitted.

The prediction image generator 101 generates the prediction image P of aPU, based on a pixel value of a reference block read from the referencepicture memory, by using a parameter input by the prediction parameterencoder. The prediction image generated by the prediction imagegenerator 101 is output to the subtraction unit 102 and the additionunit 106.

The intra prediction image generator (not illustrated) included in theprediction image generator 101 performs the same operation as theoperation of the intra prediction image generator 310 described above.

The subtraction unit 102 subtracts a signal value of the predictionimage P of a PU input from the prediction image generator 101 from apixel value of a corresponding PU position of the image T, and generatesa residual signal. The subtraction unit 102 outputs the generatedresidual signal to the transform processing and quantization unit 103.

The transform processing and quantization unit 103 performs a frequencytransform for the prediction residual signal input from the subtractionunit 102, and calculates transform coefficients. The transformprocessing and quantization unit 103 quantizes the calculated transformcoefficients to calculate quantization transform coefficients. Thetransform processing and quantization unit 103 outputs the calculatedquantization transform coefficients to the entropy encoder 104 and theinverse quantization and inverse transform processing unit 105.

To the entropy encoder 104, quantization transform coefficients areinput from the transform processing and quantization unit 103, andprediction parameters are input from the prediction parameter encoder111. For example, input prediction parameters include codes such as areference picture index ref_idx_lX, a prediction vector indexmvp_lX_idx, a difference vector mvdLX, a prediction mode pred_mode_flag,and a merge index merge_idx.

The entropy encoder 104 performs entropy coding on the input splitinformation, prediction parameters, quantization transform coefficients,and the like to generate the coding stream Te, and outputs the generatedcoding stream Te to the outside.

The inverse quantization and inverse transform processing unit 105 isthe same as the inverse quantization and inverse transform processingunit 311 (FIG. 5 ) of the tile decoder 2002, and inversely quantizes thequantization transform coefficients input from the transform processingand quantization unit 103 to calculate transform coefficients. Theinverse quantization and inverse transform processing unit 105 performsinverse transform on the calculated transform coefficient to calculateresidual signals. The inverse quantization and inverse transformprocessing unit 105 outputs the calculated residual signals to theaddition unit 106.

The addition unit 106 adds signal values of the prediction image P ofthe PUs input from the prediction image generator 101 and signal valuesof the residual signals input from the inverse quantization and inversetransform processing unit 105 for each pixel, and generates the decodedimage. The addition unit 106 stores the generated decoded image in thereference picture memory 109.

The loop filter 107 performs a deblocking filter 114, a sample adaptiveoffset (SAO) 115, and an adaptive loop filter (ALF) 116 to the decodedimage generated by the addition unit 106. Note that the loop filter 107need not necessarily include the above three types of filters, and mayinclude only the deblocking filter 114, for example.

The prediction parameter memory 108 stores the prediction parametersgenerated by the coding parameter determiner 110 for each picture and CUof the coding target in a prescribed position.

The reference picture memory 109 stores the decoded image generated bythe loop filter 107 for each picture and CU of the coding target in aprescribed position.

The coding parameter determiner 110 selects one set among multiple setsof coding parameters. A coding parameter is the above-mentioned QT or BTsplit parameter or prediction parameter, or a parameter to be a targetof coding generated in association with these parameters. The predictionimage generator 101 generates the prediction image P of the PUs by usingeach of the sets of these coding parameters.

The coding parameter determiner 110 calculates RD cost values indicatinga volume of an information quantity and coding errors for each of themultiple sets. For example, an RD cost value is a sum of a code amountand a value of multiplying a coefficient λ by a square error. The codeamount is an information quantity of the coding stream Te obtained byperforming entropy coding on a quantization residual and a codingparameter. The square error is a sum of pixels for square values ofresidual values of residual signals calculated in the subtraction unit102. The coefficient λ is a real number that is larger than apre-configured zero. The coding parameter determiner 110 selects a setof coding parameters by which the calculated RD cost value is minimized.With this configuration, the entropy encoder 104 outputs the selectedset of coding parameters as the coding stream Te to the outside, anddoes not output sets of coding parameters that are not selected. Thecoding parameter determiner 110 stores the determined coding parametersin the prediction parameter memory 108.

The prediction parameter encoder 111 derives a format for coding fromparameters input from the coding parameter determiner 110, and outputsthe format to the entropy encoder 104. A derivation of a format forcoding is, for example, to derive a difference vector from a motionvector and a prediction vector. The prediction parameter encoder 111derives parameters necessary to generate a prediction image fromparameters input from the coding parameter determiner 110, and outputsthe parameters to the prediction image generator 101. For example,parameters necessary to generate a prediction image are a motion vectorof a sub-block unit.

The inter prediction parameter encoder 112 derives inter predictionparameters such as a difference vector, based on prediction parametersinput from the coding parameter determiner 110. The inter predictionparameter encoder 112 includes a partly identical configuration to aconfiguration by which the inter prediction parameter decoder 303derives inter prediction parameters, as a configuration to deriveparameters necessary for generation of a prediction image output to theprediction image generator 101. A configuration of the inter predictionparameter encoder 112 will be described later.

The intra prediction parameter encoder 113 includes a partly identicalconfiguration to a configuration by which the intra prediction parameterdecoder 304 derives intra prediction parameters, as a configuration toderive prediction parameters necessary for generation of a predictionimage output to the prediction image generator 101.

The intra prediction parameter encoder 113 derives a format for coding(for example, MPM_idx, rem_intra_luma_pred_mode, and the like) from theintra prediction mode IntraPredMode input from the coding parameterdeterminer 110.

Configuration of Inter Prediction Parameter Encoder

Next, a configuration of the inter prediction parameter encoder 112 willbe described. The inter prediction parameter encoder 112 is a unitcorresponding to the inter prediction parameter decoder 303 of FIG. 12 ,and its configuration is illustrated in FIG. 10 .

The inter prediction parameter encoder 112 includes an inter predictionparameter coding controller 1121, an AMVP prediction parameter deriver1122, a subtraction unit 1123, a sub-block prediction parameter deriver1125, a BTM predictor 1126, and an LIC predictor 1127. Although notillustrated, the inter prediction parameter encoder 112 further includesa split mode deriver, a merge flag deriver, an inter predictionindicator deriver, a reference picture index deriver, and a vectordifference deriver, for example. The split mode deriver, the merge flagderiver, the inter prediction indicator deriver, the reference pictureindex deriver, and the vector difference deriver derive the PU splitmode part_mode, the merge flag merge_flag, the inter predictionindicator inter_pred_idc, the reference picture index refIdxLX, and thedifference vector mvdLX, respectively. The inter prediction parameterencoder 112 outputs, to the prediction image generator 101, the motionvectors (mvLX, subMvLX) and the reference picture index refIdxLX, the PUsplit mode part_mode, the inter prediction indicator inter_pred_idc, orinformation indicating these. The inter prediction parameter encoder 112outputs, to the entropy encoder 104, the PU split mode part_mode, themerge flag merge_flag, the merge index merge_idx, the inter predictionindicator inter_pred_idc, the reference picture index refIdxLX, theprediction vector index mvp_lX_idx, the difference vector mvdLX, and thesub-block prediction mode flag subPbMotionFlag.

The inter prediction parameter coding controller 1121 includes a mergeindex deriver 11211 and a vector candidate index deriver 11212. Themerge index deriver 11211 compares a motion vector and a referencepicture index input from the coding parameter determiner 110 with motionvectors and reference picture indexes of PUs of merge candidates readfrom the prediction parameter memory 108, respectively, and therebyderives a merge index merge_idx and outputs the derived merge indexmerge_idx to the entropy encoder 104. The merge candidates are referencePUs (for example, reference PUs touching a lower left end, an upper leftend, and an upper right end of a coding target block) that are locatedwithin a predetermined range with respect to a coding target CU to becoded, and are PUs that have been subjected to a coding process. Thevector candidate index deriver 11212 derives the prediction vector indexmvp_lX_idx.

In a case that the coding parameter determiner 110 determines to use thesub-block prediction mode, the sub-block prediction parameter deriver1125 derives a motion vector and a reference picture index for sub-blockprediction of any one of spatial sub-block prediction, temporalsub-block prediction, affine prediction, matching motion derivation, andOBMC prediction, in accordance with the value of subPbMotionFlag. Asdescribed in the description for tile decoder 2002, the motion vectorand the reference picture index are derived by reading a motion vectorand a reference picture index of a neighboring PU, a reference pictureblock, and the like from the prediction parameter memory 108. Thesub-block prediction parameter deriver 1125, as well as aspatial-temporal sub-block predictor 11251, an affine predictor 11252, amatching motion deriver 11253, and an OBMC predictor 11254 included inthe sub-block prediction parameter deriver 1125, have configurationssimilar to the configurations of the sub-block prediction parameterderiver 3037 of the inter prediction parameter decoder 303, as well asthe spatial-temporal sub-block predictor 30371, the affine predictor30372, the matching motion deriver 30373, and the OBMC predictor 30374included in the sub-block prediction parameter deriver 3037,respectively.

The AMVP prediction parameter deriver 1122 includes the affine predictor11221, and has a configuration similar to the configuration of theabove-described AMVP prediction parameter deriver 3032 (see FIG. 12 ).

Specifically, in a case that the prediction mode predMode indicates theinter prediction mode, the motion vector mvLX is input to the AMVPprediction parameter deriver 1122 from the coding parameter determiner110. Based on the input motion vector mvLX, the AMVP predictionparameter deriver 1122 derives a prediction vector mvpLX. The AMVPprediction parameter deriver 1122 outputs the derived prediction vectormvpLX to the subtraction unit 1123. Note that the reference pictureindex refIdxLX and the prediction vector index mvp_lX_idx are output tothe entropy encoder 104. The affine predictor 11221 has a configurationsimilar to the configuration of the affine predictor 30321 of theabove-described AMVP prediction parameter deriver 3032 (see FIG. 12 ).The LIC predictor 1127 has a configuration similar to the configurationof the above-described LIC predictor 3039 (see FIG. 12 ).

The subtraction unit 1123 subtracts the prediction vector mvpLX inputfrom the AMVP prediction parameter deriver 1122 from the motion vectormvLX input from the coding parameter determiner 110, and therebygenerates a difference vector mvdLX. The difference vector mvdLX isoutput to the entropy encoder 104.

An image encoding device or a video decoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a spatial-temporal sub-block predictionprocess of deriving a motion vector (first motion vector) per sub-blockof a target block, based on a spatial neighboring block or a temporalneighboring block, the image encoding device or the video decodingdevice including: a unit configured to refer to a neighboring blockwithin a tile sequence including the target block, and acquire a motionvector (second motion vector) and a reference picture (second referencepicture) of an available neighboring block; a unit configured tocalculate a sub-block level motion vector (third motion vector) of thetarget block, based on the second motion vector and the second referencepicture; a unit configured to scale the third motion vector by using atime difference between a target picture and the second referencepicture or between the target picture and a reference picture (firstreference picture) of the target block, and derive the first motionvector; and a unit configured to determine whether or not a referencepixel is present within the tile sequence on the first referencepicture, the reference pixel being referred to in a case of deriving amotion compensation image by using the first motion vector of thesub-block of the target block, wherein in a case that the referencepixel is not present within the tile sequence, a process of deriving apixel value of the motion compensation image based on a pixel valuewithin the tile sequence is performed.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion compensation imagederivation process uses a padding pixel derived based on a boundarypixel of the tile sequence.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion compensation imagederivation process is processed within a range restriction of the firstmotion vector.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion compensation imagederivation process is processed by performing a process by copying amotion vector of a neighboring sub-block to the first motion vector.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion compensation imagederivation process is performed in a case that the number of horizontaltiles within a picture, the number of vertical tiles within the picture,a width of a tile, and a height of the tile remain unchanged throughoutcertain sequence units (Coded Video Sequence (CVS)).

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, a position of the temporalneighboring block is a block including lower right coordinates within acollocated block.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, a tile reference restriction flagis coded or decoded, in a case that the tile reference restriction flagis 0, the position of the temporal neighboring block is configured to aposition of a lower right neighboring block of the collocated block, andin a case that the tile reference restriction flag is 1, the position ofthe temporal neighboring block is configured to a lower right positionwithin the collocated block.

An image encoding device or a video decoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a device for performingvariable-length coding or decoding on a syntax by using a context(probability model) adaptively updated and selected depending on a typeof the syntax and a surrounding condition, for each of multiple tilesconstituting a picture, the image encoding device or the video decodingdevice including: a memory configured to store a predetermined context(first context); a storage unit configured to store contexts updated foreach of the coded or decoded tiles in the memory, together with a tileID, a slice type, and a quantization parameter; a determination unitconfigured to determine whether or not a context (second context) of atile having the same tile ID and using the same slice type or the samequantization parameter is stored in the memory, among the contextsstored in the memory; a reading unit configured to read, from thememory, an initial state of a context of a tile to be coded or decoded;and a variable-length coding and decoding unit configured to performvariable-length coding or decoding on the syntax by using the initialstate, wherein in a case that the determination unit determines that thesecond context is stored in the memory, the reading unit reads thesecond context as the initial state, otherwise, the reading unit readsthe first context as the initial state, and the variable-length codingand decoding unit performs variable-length coding or variable-lengthdecoding on the tile by using the initial state.

An image encoding device according to one aspect of the presentinvention is a video encoding device for applying an adaptive loopfilter (ALF) to each of multiple tiles constituting a picture, the imageencoding device including: a unit configured to calculate a filtercoefficient of a target tile; a memory configured to store filterinformation (the filter coefficient, a tile ID, a slice type, and aquantization parameter) of the target tile; a encoder unit configured tocode a parameter related to the filter information; and a filter unitconfigured to apply the ALF to the target tile by using the filtercoefficient, wherein in a case that the filter information of the targettile is the same as one piece of the filter information stored in thememory, the encoder unit codes an index indicating the filterinformation stored in the memory as a parameter, otherwise, the encoderunit codes the filter information of the target tile as a parameter, andstores the coded parameter in the memory, and the filter unit appliesthe ALF to the target tile by using the filter coefficient.

An image decoding device according to one aspect of the presentinvention is a video decoding device for applying an adaptive loopfilter (ALF) to each of multiple tiles constituting a picture, the imagedecoding device including: a unit configured to decode a parameterrelated to filter information of a target tile from a coding stream; aderivation unit configured to derive a filter coefficient, based on theparameter; a memory configured to store filter information (the filtercoefficient, a tile ID, a slice type, and a quantization parameter) ofthe target tile; and a filter unit configured to apply the ALF to thetarget tile by using the filter coefficient, wherein in a case that theparameter is an index, the derivation unit derives the filtercoefficient selected from the filter information stored in the memory byusing the index as the filter coefficient of the target tile, otherwise,the derivation unit derives the parameter as the filter information ofthe target tile, and stores the derived parameter in the memory,together with the tile ID, the slice type, and the quantizationparameter, and the filter unit applies the ALF to the target tile byusing the filter coefficient.

An image encoding device or a video decoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a motion compensation prediction processby means of affine prediction for a sub-block obtained by splitting atarget block, the image encoding device or the video decoding deviceincluding: a first derivation unit configured to derive a motion vector(first motion vector) of each of two representative points of the targetblock; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not thefirst motion vector refers to an inside of a tile sequence; a secondderivation unit configured to derive a motion vector (second motionvector) of the sub-block included in the target block, based on thefirst motion vector; and a generator unit configured to generate amotion compensation image per sub-block, based on the second motionvector, wherein in a case that the determination unit determines thatthe first motion vector refers to an outside of the tile sequence, aprocess of deriving a pixel value of the motion compensation image basedon a pixel value within the tile sequence is performed.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, in a case that the determinationunit determines that the first motion vector refers to the outside ofthe tile sequence, the first derivation process is processed within arange restriction of the first motion vector.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, in a case that the second motionvector refers to an outside of a tile, the generator unit generates themotion compensation image by padding a tile boundary.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion vector of each of thetwo representative points is derived by adding a prediction vectorreferring to a prediction vector index and a difference vector.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, in a case that a left side of thetarget block touches a tile boundary, the representative points areconfigured to upper left and upper right points of the target block, andin a case that an upper side of the target block touches the tileboundary, the representative points are configured to upper left andlower left points of the target block.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the motion vector of each of thetwo representative points is derived based on a motion vector of each ofthree points within a neighboring block in which the affine predictionis used.

An image encoding device or a video decoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing an overlapped motion compensationprediction process by using a motion vector (first motion vector) of asub-block obtained by splitting a target block and a motion vector(second motion vector) from a neighboring block of the sub-block, theimage encoding device or the video decoding device including: anacquisition unit configured to acquire the second motion vector from theneighboring block, the neighboring block being a neighbor of thesub-block in each of directions of an upper side, a left side, a lowerside, and a right side; a first determination unit configured todetermine whether or not a reference pixel is present within a tilesequence on a reference picture, the reference pixel being referred toin a case of generating a motion compensation image by using the secondmotion vector of the sub-block; a second determination unit configuredto determine whether or not the first motion vector and the secondmotion vector are the same; a first generator unit configured togenerate a first motion compensation image by using the first motionvector of the sub-block; a second generator unit configured to generatea second motion compensation image by using the second motion vector ofthe sub-block; and a third generator unit configured to generate aprediction image by adding the first motion compensation image and thesecond motion compensation image, in a case that the seconddetermination unit determines that the two motion vectors are not thesame, wherein in a case that the first determination unit determinesthat the reference pixel is not present within the tile sequence on thereference picture, a process of deriving a pixel value of the motioncompensation image, based on a pixel value within the tile sequence isperformed.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the generator unit uses a paddingpixel derived based on a boundary pixel of the tile sequence.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the generator unit performs aprocess within a range restriction of the second motion vector.

In the image encoding device or the video decoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the generator unit performs aprocess by copying a motion vector of the neighboring block to thesecond motion vector.

An image encoding device or a video decoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a motion compensation prediction processby means of template matching for a sub-block obtained by splitting atarget block, the image encoding device or the video decoding deviceincluding: a first acquisition unit configured to acquire upper and leftneighboring regions (first template region) of a target block in atarget picture, and upper and left neighboring regions (second templateregion) of a reference block in a reference picture; a first derivationunit configured to derive a motion vector (first motion vector) leadingto a minimum matching cost between the first template region and thesecond template region, based on a motion vector of a neighboring blockof the target block; a second acquisition unit configured to acquireupper and left neighboring regions (third template region) of thesub-block obtained by splitting the target block in the target picture,and upper and left neighboring regions (fourth template region) of thesub-block obtained by splitting the reference block in the referencepicture; a second derivation unit configured to derive a motion vector(second motion vector) leading to a minimum matching cost between thethird template region and the fourth template region, based on the firstmotion vector or the motion vector of the neighboring block; and agenerator unit configured to generate a motion compensation image byusing the second motion vector of the sub-block, wherein the firstacquisition unit includes a determination unit configured to determinewhether or not all the first template region is present within a tile,in a case of acquiring the first template region, in a case that thedetermination unit determines that a part of the first template regionis present within a tile sequence, only any one of the upper neighboringregion and the left neighboring region present within the tile sequenceis acquired as the first template region, and in a case that thedetermination unit determines that the first template region is notpresent within the tile sequence, the motion compensation predictionprocess by means of template matching is not performed.

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention includes: a filtered reference imageconfiguration unit configured to derive a filtered reference image on areference region configured for a prediction target block; a predictorunit configured to refer to the filtered reference image to derive atemporary prediction image of the prediction target block, by means of aprediction scheme in accordance with an intra prediction mode; and aprediction image correction unit configured to perform a predictionimage correction process, based on an unfiltered reference image on thereference region and the intra prediction mode, to thereby generate aprediction image from the temporary prediction image, wherein theprediction image correction unit derives the prediction image byapplying weighted addition using a weighting coefficient to a pixelvalue of the temporary prediction image and pixel values of at least twoor more unfiltered reference images, and in a case that a pixel (upperleft pixel) of the unfiltered reference image located at upper left ofthe prediction target block is located outside of a tile sequence, theprediction image is derived by replacing a pixel value of the upper leftpixel with a pixel value within the tile sequence.

In the image decoding device or the video encoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the prediction image correctionunit replaces the pixel value of the upper left pixel with a pixel valueof the unfiltered reference image located immediately on an upper sideof a left end or right end pixel of the prediction target block.

In the image decoding device or the video encoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, the prediction image correctionunit replaces the pixel value of the upper left pixel with a pixel valueof the unfiltered reference image located immediately on a left side ofan upper end or lower end pixel of the prediction target block.

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention includes: a derivation unit configuredto derive a linear model (prediction parameter) between a luminancecomponent and a chrominance component, based on an unfiltered referenceimage of the luminance component and an unfiltered reference image ofthe chrominance component being neighbors of a prediction target block;a down-sampling unit including multiple filters that down-sample adecoded image of the luminance component of the prediction target block;and a predictor unit configured to refer to the prediction parameter,and generate a prediction image of the chrominance component from thedecoded image of the down-sampled luminance component, wherein in a casethat at least a part of left and upper unfiltered reference images ofthe prediction target block is located outside of a tile sequence, thedown-sampling unit down-samples the decoded image of the luminancecomponent by using one predetermined type of a filter.

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention includes: a first motion vectorderivation unit configured to perform an initial vector search and alocal search of a matching process for each target block, and therebyderive a motion vector; and a second motion vector derivation unitconfigured to refer to a first motion vector derived by the first motionvector derivation unit, and performs an initial vector search and alocal search of a matching process for each of multiple sub-blocksincluded in the target block, and thereby derive a motion vector,wherein in a case that an outside of a tile sequence is included in asearch range of a motion vector search of the matching process, thesearch range is configured so that only a pixel within the tile sequenceis referred to.

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a spatial-temporal prediction process byderiving a motion vector of a target block, based on a spatialneighboring block or a temporal neighboring block, the image decodingdevice or the video encoding device including: a unit configured todetermine whether or not a reference pixel is present within a tilesequence on a reference picture, the reference pixel being referred toin a case of deriving a motion compensation image by using a motionvector of the target block; and a unit configured to derive a pixelvalue of the motion compensation image, based on a pixel value withinthe tile sequence, in a case that the reference pixel is not presentwithin the tile sequence, wherein a position of the temporal neighboringblock is a block including any one of lower right coordinates within acollocated block, lower left coordinates of a right neighboring block ofthe collocated block, and upper right coordinates of a lower neighboringblock of the collocated block.

In the image decoding device or the video encoding device according toone aspect of the present invention, a tile reference restriction flagis coded or decode, in a case that the tile reference restriction flagis 0, the position of the temporal neighboring block is configured to aposition of a lower right neighboring block of the collocated block, andin a case that the tile reference restriction flag is 1, the position ofthe temporal neighboring block is configured to the position of theblock including any one of the lower right coordinates within thecollocated block, the lower left coordinates of the right neighboringblock of the collocated block, and the upper right coordinates of thelower neighboring block of the collocated block.

An image decoding device or a video encoding device according to oneaspect of the present invention is a video encoding device or a videodecoding device for performing a spatial-temporal prediction process byderiving a motion vector (first motion vector) of a target block, basedon a spatial neighboring block or a temporal neighboring block, theimage decoding device or the video encoding device including: a unitconfigured to refer to a neighboring block within a tile sequenceincluding the target block, and acquire a prediction parameter (motionvector (second motion vector), reference picture) of an availablespatial or temporal neighboring block; a unit configured to store theacquired prediction parameter of the neighboring block in a list storingprediction candidates of the first motion vector; and a unit configuredto pad a region outside of the tile sequence, wherein in a case that thesecond motion vector stored in a candidate list includes multiple motionvectors referring to a padding region, the storage unit keeps the secondmotion vector first stored in the candidate list, and removes othersecond motion vectors referring to the padding region from the candidatelist.

Implementation Examples by Software

Note that, part of the tile encoder 2012 and the tile decoder 2002according to the above-mentioned embodiments, for example, the entropydecoder 301, the prediction parameter decoder 302, the loop filter 305,the prediction image generator 308, the inverse quantization and inversetransform processing unit 311, the addition unit 312, the predictionimage generator 101, the subtraction unit 102, the transform processingand quantization unit 103, the entropy encoder 104, the inversequantization and inverse transform processing unit 105, the loop filter107, the coding parameter determiner 110, and the prediction parameterencoder 111, may be realized by a computer. In that case, thisconfiguration may be realized by recording a program for realizing suchcontrol functions on a computer-readable recording medium and causing acomputer system to read the program recorded on the recording medium forexecution. Note that it is assumed that the “computer system” mentionedhere refers to a computer system built into either the tile encoder 2012or the tile decoder 2002, and the computer system includes an OS andhardware components such as a peripheral device. Furthermore, the“computer-readable recording medium” refers to a portable medium such asa flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a CD-ROM, and the like,and a storage device such as a hard disk built into the computer system.Moreover, the “computer-readable recording medium” may include a mediumthat dynamically retains a program for a short period of time, such as acommunication line that is used to transmit the program over a networksuch as the Internet or over a communication line such as a telephoneline, and may also include a medium that retains a program for a fixedperiod of time, such as a volatile memory within the computer system forfunctioning as a server or a client in such a case. Furthermore, theprogram may be configured to realize some of the functions describedabove, and also may be configured to be capable of realizing thefunctions described above in combination with a program already recordedin the computer system.

Part or all of the image encoding device 11 and the image decodingdevice 31 in the embodiments described above may be realized as anintegrated circuit such as a Large Scale Integration (LSI). Eachfunction block of the image encoding device 11 and the image decodingdevice 31 may be individually realized as processors, or part or all maybe integrated into processors. The circuit integration technique is notlimited to LSI, and the integrated circuits for the functional blocksmay be realized as dedicated circuits or a multi-purpose processor. In acase that with advances in semiconductor technology, a circuitintegration technology with which an LSI is replaced appears, anintegrated circuit based on the technology may be used.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detailabove referring to the drawings, but the specific configuration is notlimited to the above embodiments and various amendments can be made to adesign that falls within the scope that does not depart from the gist ofthe present invention.

Application Examples

The above-mentioned image encoding device 11 and the image decodingdevice 31 can be utilized being installed to various devices performingtransmission, reception, recording, and regeneration of videos. Notethat, videos may be natural videos imaged by cameras or the like, or maybe artificial videos (including CG and GUI) generated by computers orthe like.

At first, referring to FIG. 27 , it will be described that theabove-mentioned image encoding device 11 and the image decoding device31 can be utilized for transmission and reception of videos.

FIG. 27(a) is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of atransmission device PROD_A installed with the image encoding device 11.As illustrated in FIG. 27(a), the transmission device PROD_A includes anencoder PROD_A1 which obtains coded data by coding videos, a modulationunit PROD_A2 which obtains modulating signals by modulating carrierwaves with the coded data obtained by the encoder PROD_A1, and atransmitter PROD_A3 which transmits the modulating signals obtained bythe modulation unit PROD_A2. The above-mentioned image encoding device11 is utilized as the encoder PROD_A1.

The transmission device PROD_A may further include a camera PROD_A4imaging videos, a recording medium PROD_A5 recording videos, an inputterminal PROD_A6 to input videos from the outside, and an imageprocessing unit PROD_A7 which generates or processes images, as sourcesof supply of the videos input into the encoder PROD_A1. In FIG. 27(a),although the configuration that the transmission device PROD_A includesthese all is exemplified, a part may be omitted.

Note that the recording medium PROD_A5 may record videos which are notcoded, or may record videos coded in a coding scheme for recordingdifferent from a coding scheme for transmission. In the latter case, adecoder (not illustrated) to decode coded data read from the recordingmedium PROD_A5 according to coding scheme for recording may beinterleaved between the recording medium PROD_A5 and the encoderPROD_A1.

FIG. 27(b) is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of areception device PROD_B installed with the image decoding device 31. Asillustrated in FIG. 27(b), the reception device PROD_B includes areceiver PROD_B1 which receives modulating signals, a demodulation unitPROD_B2 which obtains coded data by demodulating the modulating signalsreceived by the receiver PROD_B1, and a decoder PROD_B3 which obtainsvideos by decoding the coded data obtained by the demodulation unitPROD_B2. The above-mentioned image decoding device 31 is utilized as thedecoder PROD_B3.

The reception device PROD_B may further include a display PROD_B4displaying videos, a recording medium PROD_B5 to record the videos, andan output terminal PROD_B6 to output videos outside, as supplydestination of the videos output by the decoder PROD_B3. In FIG. 27(b),although the configuration that the reception device PROD_B includesthese all is exemplified, a part may be omitted.

Note that the recording medium PROD_B5 may record videos which are notcoded, or may record videos which are coded in a coding scheme forrecording different from a coding scheme for transmission. In the lattercase, an encoder (not illustrated) to code videos acquired from thedecoder PROD_B3 according to a coding scheme for recording may beinterleaved between the decoder PROD_B3 and the recording mediumPROD_B5.

Note that the transmission medium transmitting modulating signals may bewireless or may be wired. The transmission aspect to transmit modulatingsignals may be broadcasting (here, referred to as the transmissionaspect where the transmission target is not specified beforehand) or maybe telecommunication (here, referred to as the transmission aspect thatthe transmission target is specified beforehand). Thus, the transmissionof the modulating signals may be realized by any of radio broadcasting,cable broadcasting, radio communication, and cable communication.

For example, broadcasting stations (broadcasting equipment, and thelike)/receiving stations (television receivers, and the like) of digitalterrestrial television broadcasting is an example of the transmissiondevice PROD_A/reception device PROD_B transmitting and/or receivingmodulating signals in radio broadcasting. Broadcasting stations(broadcasting equipment, and the like)/receiving stations (televisionreceivers, and the like) of cable television broadcasting are an exampleof the transmission device PROD_A/reception device PROD_B transmittingand/or receiving modulating signals in cable broadcasting.

Servers (work stations, and the like)/clients (television receivers,personal computers, smartphones, and the like) for Video On Demand (VOD)services, video hosting services using the Internet and the like are anexample of transmission device PROD_A/reception device PROD_Btransmitting and/or receiving modulating signals in telecommunication(usually, any of radio or cable is used as transmission medium in theLAN, and cable is used for as transmission medium in the WAN). Here,personal computers include a desktop PC, a laptop type PC, and agraphics tablet type PC. Smartphones also include a multifunctionalportable telephone terminal.

Note that a client of a video hosting service has a function to code avideo imaged with a camera and upload the video to a server, in additionto a function to decode coded data downloaded from a server and todisplay on a display. Thus, a client of a video hosting servicefunctions as both the transmission device PROD_A and the receptiondevice PROD_B.

Next, referring to FIG. 28 , it will be described that theabove-mentioned image encoding device 11 and the image decoding device31 can be utilized for recording and regeneration of videos.

FIG. 28(a) is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of arecording device PROD_C installed with the above-mentioned imageencoding device 11. As illustrated in FIG. 28(a), the recording devicePROD_C includes an encoder PROD_C1 which obtains coded data by coding avideo, and a writing unit PROD_C2 which writes the coded data obtainedby the encoder PROD_C1 in a recording medium PROD_M. The above-mentionedimage encoding device 11 is utilized as the encoder PROD_C1.

Note that the recording medium PROD_M may be (1) a type built in therecording device PROD_C such as Hard Disk Drive (HDD) or Solid StateDrive (SSD), may be (2) a type connected to the recording device PROD_Csuch as an SD memory card or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash memory,and may be (3) a type loaded in a drive device (not illustrated) builtin the recording device PROD_C such as Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) orBlu-ray (trademark) Disc (BD: trademark).

The recording device PROD_C may further include a camera PROD_C3 imaginga video, an input terminal PROD_C4 to input the video from the outside,a receiver PROD_C5 to receive the video, and an image processing unitPROD_C6 which generates or processes images, as sources of supply of thevideo input into the encoder PROD_C1. In FIG. 28(a), although theconfiguration that the recording device PROD_C includes these all isexemplified, a part may be omitted.

Note that the receiver PROD_C5 may receive a video which is not coded,or may receive coded data coded in a coding scheme for transmissiondifferent from a coding scheme for recording. In the latter case, adecoder (not illustrated) for transmission to decode coded data coded ina coding scheme for transmission may be interleaved between the receiverPROD_C5 and the encoder PROD_C1.

Examples of such recording device PROD_C include a DVD recorder, a BDrecorder, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) recorder, and the like (in this case,the input terminal PROD_C4 or the receiver PROD_C5 is the main source ofsupply of a video). A camcorder (in this case, the camera PROD_C3 is themain source of supply of a video), a personal computer (in this case,the receiver PROD_C5 or the image processing unit C6 is the main sourceof supply of a video), a smartphone (in this case, the camera PROD_C3 orthe receiver PROD_C5 is the main source of supply of a video), or thelike is an example of such recording device PROD_C.

FIG. 28(b) is a block illustrating a configuration of a regenerationdevice PROD_D installed with the above-mentioned image decoding device31. As illustrated in FIG. 28(b), the regeneration device PROD_Dincludes a reader PROD_D1 which reads coded data written in therecording medium PROD_M, and a decoder PROD_D2 which obtains a video bydecoding the coded data read by the reader PROD_D1. The above-mentionedimage decoding device 31 is utilized as the decoder PROD_D2.

Note that the recording medium PROD_M may be (1) a type built in theregeneration device PROD_D such as HDD or SSD, may be (2) a typeconnected to the regeneration device PROD_D such as an SD memory card ora USB flash memory, and may be (3) a type loaded in a drive device (notillustrated) built in the regeneration device PROD_D such as DVD or BD.

The regeneration device PROD_D may further include a display PROD_D3displaying a video, an output terminal PROD_D4 to output the video tothe outside, and a transmitter PROD_D5 which transmits the video, as thesupply destination of the video output by the decoder PROD_D2. In FIG.28(b), although the configuration that the regeneration device PROD_Dincludes these all is exemplified, a part may be omitted.

Note that the transmitter PROD_D5 may transmit a video which is notcoded, or may transmit coded data coded in a coding scheme fortransmission different from a coding scheme for recording. In the lattercase, an encoder (not illustrated) to code a video in a coding schemefor transmission may be interleaved between the decoder PROD_D2 and thetransmitter PROD_D5.

Examples of such regeneration device PROD_D include a DVD player, a BDplayer, an HDD player, and the like (in this case, the output terminalPROD_D4 to which a television receiver, and the like is connected is themain supply target of the video). A television receiver (in this case,the display PROD_D3 is the main supply target of the video), a digitalsignage (also referred to as an electronic signboard or an electronicbulletin board, and the like, the display PROD_D3 or the transmitterPROD_D5 is the main supply target of the video), a desktop PC (in thiscase, the output terminal PROD_D4 or the transmitter PROD_D5 is the mainsupply target of the video), a laptop type or tablet type PC (in thiscase, the display PROD_D3 or the transmitter PROD_D5 is the main supplytarget of the video), a smartphone (in this case, the display PROD_D3 orthe transmitter PROD_D5 is the main supply target of the video), or thelike is an example of such regeneration device PROD_D.

Realization as Hardware and Realization as Software

Each block of the above-mentioned image decoding device 31 and the imageencoding device 11 may be realized as a hardware by a logical circuitformed on an integrated circuit (IC chip), or may be realized as asoftware using a Central Processing Unit (CPU).

In the latter case, each device includes a CPU performing a command of aprogram to implement each function, a Read Only Memory (ROM) stored inthe program, a Random Access Memory (RAM) developing the program, and astorage device (recording medium) such as a memory storing the programand various data, and the like. The purpose of the embodiments of thepresent invention can be achieved by supplying, to each of the devices,the recording medium recording in a computer-readable manner the programcode (execution form program, intermediate code program, source program)of the control program of each of the devices which is softwareimplementing the above-mentioned functions, and a computer (or a CPU ora MPU) reading and performing the program code recorded in the recordingmedium.

For example, as the recording medium, a tape such as a magnetic tape ora cassette tape, a disc including a magnetic disc such as a floppy(trademark) disk/a hard disk and an optical disc such as a Compact DiscRead-Only Memory (CD-ROM)/Magneto-Optical disc (MO disc)/Mini Disc(MD)/Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)/CD Recordable (CD-R)/Blu-ray(trademark) Disc (trademark), a card such as an IC card (including amemory card)/an optical card, a semiconductor memory such as a maskROM/Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM)/Electrically Erasableand Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM: trademark)/a flash ROM, or aLogical circuits such as a Programmable logic device (PLD) or a FieldProgrammable Gate Array (FPGA) can be used.

Each of the devices is configured connectably with a communicationnetwork, and the program code may be supplied through the communicationnetwork. This communication network may be able to transmit a programcode, and is not specifically limited. For example, the Internet, theintranet, the extranet, Local Area Network (LAN), Integrated ServicesDigital Network (ISDN), Value-Added Network (VAN), a Community Antennatelevision/Cable Television (CATV) communication network, VirtualPrivate Network, telephone network, a mobile communication network,satellite communication network, and the like are available. Atransmission medium constituting this communication network may also bea medium which can transmit a program code, and is not limited to aparticular configuration or type. For example, a cable communicationsuch as Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 1394, aUSB, a power line carrier, a cable TV line, a phone line, an AsymmetricDigital Subscriber Line (ADSL) line, and a radio communication such asinfrared ray such as Infrared Data Association (IrDA) or a remotecontrol, BlueTooth (trademark), IEEE 802.11 radio communication, HighData Rate (HDR), Near Field Communication (NFC), Digital Living NetworkAlliance (trademark) (DLNA: trademark), a cellular telephone network, asatellite channel, a terrestrial digital broadcast network areavailable. Note that the embodiments of the present invention can bealso realized in the form of computer data signals embedded in a carrierwave where the program code is embodied by electronic transmission.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to theabove-described embodiments. It is possible to make variousmodifications within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained byappropriately combining technical elements disclosed in differentembodiments fall also within the technical scope of the presentinvention. Further, it is possible to form a new technical feature bycombining technical elements disclosed in the respective embodiments.

CROSS-REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority to JP 2017-126272 filedon 28 Jun. 2017, to JP 2017-162106 filed on 25 Aug. 2017, to JP2017-146569 filed on 28 Jul. 2017, and to JP 2018-061846 filed on 28Mar. 2018, which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The embodiments of the present invention can be preferably applied to animage decoding device to decode coded data where image data is coded,and an image encoding device to generate coded data where image data iscoded. The embodiments of the present invention can be preferablyapplied to a data structure of coded data generated by the imageencoding device and referred to by the image decoding device.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   -   10 CT information decoder    -   20 CU decoder    -   41 Image display device    -   2000 Image decoding device    -   2002 Tile decoder    -   2020 Image encoding device    -   2012 Tile encoder

The invention claimed is:
 1. A video decoding device for generating aprediction image from two motion vectors, the video decoding devicecomprising: a memory and a processor, wherein the processor configuredto: decode a flag indicating whether or not a tile sequence of a tile,obtained by splitting a picture into rectangular regions, isindependently decoded; derive two motion vectors of a current block; ina case that a first one of the two motion vectors points to a firstreference picture which is located prior to a current picture in a timedirection and a second one of the two motion vectors points to a secondreference picture which is located after the current picture in the timedirection, a) derive reference positions in each of the first referencepicture and the second reference picture based on upper left coordinatesof the current block, each of the two motion vectors, and an accuracy ofthe two motion vectors; b) derive a phase based on the two motionvectors and the accuracy, c) derive clipped positions by clipping xcoordinates of the reference positions in a range from xTs to xTs+wT−1and clipping y coordinates of the reference positions in a range fromyTs to yTs+hT−1 in a case that the flag indicates the tile sequence isindependently decoded, where the xTs is an x coordinate of upper leftcoordinates of a current tile, where the wT is a width of the currenttile, where the yTs is a y coordinate of the upper left coordinates ofthe current tile, and where the hT is a height of the current tile; d)generate compensation images based on a product of a filter coefficientcorresponding to the phase and pixel values of the clipped positions; e)derive updated motion vectors that lead to a minimum matching cost basedon the compensation images; f) generate the prediction image based onthe update motion vectors; and g) decode the picture based on theprediction image.